Hamas has stated that it will not surrender its weapons at this time, but has proposed a security framework where only official Palestinian police will carry arms in Gaza. Husam Badran, a member of the Hamas political bureau, told Al Jazeera in an exclusive interview that the group is moving to eliminate visible armed manifestations from Gaza’s streets as part of a proposed long-term truce.
Badran clarified that the concept involves transitioning security responsibilities to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG). Under this arrangement, the streets and alleys of Gaza would no longer feature armed groups, with security duties restricted to the official Palestinian police forces operating under the NCAG. He emphasized that this is not a formal surrender of the military arsenal but a strategic shift to ensure stability. The details of the process are expected to be hashed out within a broader national framework involving other Palestinian factions.
The Hamas stance comes as representatives prepare to travel to Cairo for renewed ceasefire negotiations. The upcoming talks aim to bridge the divide between the various Palestinian factions, including Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, to form a unified national position. These negotiations are seen as critical to salvaging the ceasefire plan originally brokered by the United States. However, Badran noted that Israel has failed to meet the majority of its obligations under the first phase of the agreement, complicating the path forward.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire. Palestinian factions are demanding adherence to survival metrics, including increased humanitarian aid and the restoration of critical infrastructure. Currently, the daily influx of aid trucks remains far below the agreed-upon targets, while the healthcare system and electricity grid remain decimated. Since the ceasefire took effect, military actions have resulted in the deaths of hundreds more civilians, bringing the total death toll since October 2023 to 72,942, with over 172,000 injured.
Disarmament remains the primary point of contention between the factions and the Israeli government. While international mediators have presented a 15-point roadmap emphasizing gradual and sequenced decommissioning of weapons, Palestinian analysts suggest that Israel is utilizing these negotiations as a stalling tactic. They argue that Israel is leveraging the talks to advance territorial goals and consolidate control over larger portions of the Gaza Strip. The NCAG has indicated it will not assume administrative control under current conditions, insisting on the deployment of an international stabilization force before taking responsibility in buffer zones. As political deadlock continues, the human toll mounts, leaving the residents of Gaza caught between the demands of armed groups and the expansionist policies of the occupation.
