Hamas insists on relinquishing arms only after establishment of a Palestinian state.
In the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, recent developments have seen a diplomatic framework emerge at the United Nations (UN) level for a potential 60-day truce. This framework involves Hamas releasing hostages in stages, while discussions about Hamas’ disarmament and a political solution continue at the international level.
At a high-level UN conference in New York, several Arab states, including Egypt and Qatar, called for an end to Hamas' rule in the coastal region. The conference produced an outcome document that explicitly demands Hamas to release hostages and disarm as necessary steps towards a ceasefire and a lasting political solution. Notably, the League of Arab States formally endorsed this position for the first time, signaling regional support for these conditions.
However, on-the-ground ceasefire talks have stalled due to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's considerations to expand military action in Gaza and Hamas’ demands for humanitarian improvements before returning to negotiations. Netanyahu is also reportedly moving towards a full Israeli occupation of the Gaza Strip, with government discussions about plans to control the entire territory, beyond the current Israeli control of about 75% of Gaza.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza is dire, with warnings of famine and malnutrition. Over 181 deaths from hunger-related causes have been reported since the war’s start, including 94 children. The World Food Programme warns that 320,000 children under five are at acute risk of malnutrition. These humanitarian distresses are part of the discussions in the Security Council and international forums, alongside calls for the immediate and unconditional release of hostages.
One of the most significant issues in this conflict is the plight of hostages. Evyatar David, a hostage held by Hamas, was seen in a propaganda video digging his own grave in a narrow tunnel in Gaza. The US government aims for a comprehensive deal that ends the war and brings back all remaining hostages at once, rather than piecemeal deals. The Forum of Hostage Families demanded a comprehensive agreement that brings back all 50 hostages and ends the fighting.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with the families of Evyatar David and another hostage, stating that Hamas is deliberately starving hostages while allowing humanitarian aid to the residents of Gaza. A proposal for a 60-day ceasefire in exchange for the release of ten living hostages remains on the table.
It is important to note that Hamas insists on its right to resist and asserts that the right to possess weapons and resist is a legitimate right of an occupied people. Armed resistance by Hamas can only be abandoned when the rights of Palestinians are fully realized, including the establishment of an independent and fully sovereign Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.
The Israeli official reports that Israel and the USA are in agreement to move towards a framework for the release of all hostages, the disarmament of Hamas, and the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip. However, the path to peace remains complex, with ongoing military pressure, humanitarian crises, and regional politics complicating progress towards resolution.
[1] UN High-level International Conference (28–30 July 2025) Outcome Document [2] The New York Times, "Netanyahu Considers Expanding Military Action in Gaza," 15 August 2025 [3] The Washington Post, "Netanyahu Moves Towards Full Israeli Occupation of Gaza," 20 August 2025
To apply the demands outlined in the UN High-level International Conference to bring an end to Hamas' rule in the Gaza Strip, the conference's outcome document has urged Hamas to release hostages, disarm, and abide by the necessary steps towards a ceasefire and a lasting political solution, a stance that has received formal endorsement from the League of Arab States for the first time. In the ongoing diplomatic efforts, the US government has shown a keen interest in obtaining a comprehensive deal that unconditionally releases all remaining hostages and ends the war.
