Gaza(The COW News Digital)A senior Hamas official has indicated that the group is willing to consider measures to reduce future attacks on Israel, but has firmly rejected any proposal requiring its complete disarmament. The remarks were made by Khaled Mashal, head of Hamas’ external political bureau, in an interview with Al Jazeera Arabic, ahead of the anticipated second phase of the Gaza ceasefire framework.
Mashal described the demand for Hamas to lay down its weapons as “unacceptable” and akin to stripping the movement of its core purpose. He stressed that armed resistance remains central to Hamas’ identity, insisting that any proposal seeking to eliminate the group’s military capability cannot be entertained.
However, he suggested that Hamas is open to discussing mechanisms to prevent cross-border attacks from Gaza in the future, but only if Israel demonstrates clear commitment to ending its violations of the existing ceasefire arrangements. According to him, Israeli actions on the ground continue to undermine the fragile calm and impede progress toward subsequent stages of the agreement.
Mashal also criticised plans for a new administrative structure in Gaza that excludes Palestinian representation. He was referring to the proposed “Board of Peace,” an initiative reportedly supported by the United States under President Donald Trump, with former British prime minister Tony Blair mentioned as a possible lead. Mashal stressed that Hamas would not accept any governing setup imposed from outside or lacking the consent of Gaza’s population.
Regarding the second phase of the ceasefire plan, he argued that it must include a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. He warned that the partial pullback to what Israel describes as the “yellow line” would leave more than half of the territory under Israeli control, making any claim of genuine de-escalation meaningless.
Israel has insisted that the next phase of the ceasefire must involve the disarmament of Hamas. Mashal responded that such conditions are currently impossible to meet. He reiterated the group’s earlier stance that if an independent Palestinian state were to be established with full sovereignty, Hamas could consider transferring its weapons to a national security force under Palestinian authority—though he emphasised that this scenario remains distant.
As diplomatic efforts continue, the gap between the positions of Hamas and Israel highlights the immense challenges facing negotiators. With the second phase of the ceasefire still uncertain, the future of Gaza’s security and governance remains in flux.
