Sources: Hamas Requests Guarantees for Israel's Withdrawal from Gaza Before Disarmament Talks

SadaNews - Three sources told Reuters that the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) informed intermediaries that it would not discuss its disarmament without receiving guarantees for Israel's complete withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, as stipulated in the disarmament plan proposed by the "Peace Council" led by U.S. President Donald Trump. The issue of Hamas's disarmament is a point of contention in the talks aimed at implementing Trump's plan in the Palestinian territories and solidifying the ceasefire reached in October, which ended two years of comprehensive war. The three sources, who are two Egyptian officials and one Palestinian, stated that a Hamas delegation met with Egyptian, Qatari, and Turkish mediators in Cairo on Wednesday and Thursday to present their preliminary response to the disarmament proposal sent to the movement last month. The two Egyptian sources told Reuters that Hamas requested a set of demands and amendments to the Council's plan, including a halt to Israeli violations, the implementation of all provisions, and Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. Hamas accuses Israel of violating the ceasefire through attacks that have resulted in hundreds of deaths in the Gaza Strip. Israel asserts that its strikes aim to thwart attacks that militants were about to carry out. The sources reported that Hamas also requested clarification regarding what it described as Israel's ongoing expansion of the areas under its control. Israel has maintained control over more than half of the Gaza Strip after the ceasefire. The sources said that the movement is unwilling to discuss disarmament before resolving these issues. Two Hamas officials declined to comment on the substance of the meetings. Neither the Israeli government nor representatives from the Peace Council have responded to requests for comments. No Indications of Progress A separate source close to the Peace Council indicated that Hamas's response likely means that talks regarding the movement's disarmament will not lead to immediate progress. He added that the movement is scheduled to meet with the mediators again next week. The source mentioned that the United States may proceed with reconstruction efforts without Hamas's disarmament, but only in areas fully under Israeli military control. He noted that the necessary funding commitments for reconstruction, much of which has come from Arab countries in the Gulf, have been disrupted during the war with Iran. The Palestinian official close to the talks ruled out that Hamas would categorically reject the plan, noting that it would not agree to it until Palestinian factions' comments and demands are addressed. Israel asserts that it will not agree to withdraw from Gaza unless Hamas is completely disarmed first. Nikolai Mladenov, the Special Coordinator for the Peace Council, wrote in a post on social media platforms yesterday that all mediating parties support the plan. Mladenov stated in a post on the platform X, "The international community supports the plan; it is time to agree on a framework for its implementation.. for the sake of Palestinians and Israelis alike, there is no room for wasting time." Israeli statistics indicate that Hamas's attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people. Health authorities in Gaza report that the Israeli campaign has led to the deaths of over 72,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians, and has also caused widespread famine, destruction of most buildings, and the displacement of the majority of the population of the Strip multiple times in many cases.