Hamas Maintains Armed Stance Amid Truce Negotiations, Says Official
A senior Hamas official has stated that the Palestinian resistance group did not agree to disarm during the indirect ceasefire negotiations that concluded Israel's two-year military campaign in the Gaza Strip.
In an interview with Qatar’s Al Jazeera television network on Wednesday, Mousa Abu Marzook responded to comments made by Trump two days prior, urging Hamas to adhere to what he referred to as the group’s commitment to disarmament.
Hamas has consistently refrained from agreeing to relinquish its arsenal under any circumstances. According to Marzook, while an agreement was reached on a framework plan aimed at ending the conflict, the topic of surrendering weapons was not part of the discussions.
He further stressed that any arrangements planned in Gaza require the approval of Hamas.
A ceasefire agreement, supported by the United States, commenced in Gaza on October 10, 2025. The initial stage involved the exchange of Israeli captives for Palestinian detainees, accompanied by the repositioning of occupying forces to what is known as the “yellow line,” the precarious boundary marking the ceasefire in Gaza.
Despite Hamas meeting its commitments, Israel has neither halted its lethal strikes on Gaza nor permitted the unrestricted entry of humanitarian aid into the blockaded region.
The recently announced second phase consists of a strategic plan for the phased withdrawal of Israeli troops, currently maintaining control over more than half of the Gaza Strip, coupled with the deployment of an international peacekeeping force.
On Monday, the Israeli military declared that they had successfully retrieved the remains of the last captive, Ran Gvili, from Gaza.
In a recent interview, Marzook disclosed that roughly a month prior, Hamas had shared details with Gaza truce mediators concerning the whereabouts of Gvili’s body.
The transfer of Israeli captives, both living and deceased, to Israel was conducted in accordance with terms set by Hamas, and therefore, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should refrain from boasting about the matter, he stated.
Israel initiated its intense military operation in Gaza on October 7, 2023, with the intended objectives unfulfilled, resulting in the deaths of at least 71,667 Palestinians, primarily women and children, and injuring 171,343 individuals.
In a high-level session of the United Nations Security Council held on Wednesday, Palestine’s UN Ambassador Riyad Mansour issued a stark warning, describing an “unprecedented catastrophe” taking place in Gaza.
He called for an end to the suffering of Palestinian civilians, emphasizing the urgent need for the immediate cessation of the violence and the full implementation of truce commitments. Additionally, he advocated for unrestricted humanitarian access to Gaza.
