DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Hamas is ready to discuss “freezing or stockpiling” its weapons stockpile as part of a ceasefire with Israel, a senior official said Sunday, offering possible solutions to one of the thorniest issues in the U.S.-brokered deal.
Bassem Naim, a member of Hamas’ decision-making politburo, spoke as the two sides prepared to enter a second, more complex phase of the deal.
“We are willing to take a comprehensive approach to avoid further escalation or avoid any further clashes or explosions,” Naeem told The Associated Press in the Qatari capital Doha, where much of the group’s leadership is based.
The agreement ends Israel’s two-year offensive in Gaza in response to Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack. Asked whether the attack was a mistake, Naeem defended it as a “defensive act.”
more difficult stage
Since the truce came into effect in October, Hamas and Israel have conducted a series of exchanges of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners. With only the remains of one hostage left in Gaza – an Israeli policeman killed in the October 7 attack – both sides are preparing to enter a second phase.
The new phase aims to chart a future for war-torn Gaza and promises to be more difficult – tackling issues such as the deployment of international security forces, the formation of a technocratic Palestinian council in Gaza, the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the territory and the disarmament of Hamas. An international commission led by President Donald Trump will oversee the implementation of the deal and the reconstruction of Gaza.
Israel’s demand that Hamas lay down its arms could be particularly thorny – a key demand that Israeli officials say could hinder progress in other areas. Hamas’s ideology is deeply rooted in what it calls armed resistance against Israel, and its leaders have refused to surrender despite more than two years of war that has destroyed much of Gaza and killed tens of thousands of Palestinians.
Naim said Hamas retained “the right to resist” but said the group was ready to lay down its arms as part of a process aimed at establishing a Palestinian state. He gave no details on how that would work, but suggested a long-term truce of five or 10 years to allow for discussions.
“This time must be used seriously and comprehensively,” he said, adding that Hamas had a “very open mind” about what to do with its weapons.
“We can talk about freezing, storing or placing it, but the Palestinians guarantee that it will not be used at all during a ceasefire or truce,” he said.
It is unclear whether this proposal would satisfy Israel’s demands for comprehensive disarmament.
still many questions
The ceasefire agreement is based on a 20-point plan proposed by Trump and international “guarantor” countries in October.
The plan, adopted by the United Nations Security Council, provides the overall way forward. But it is vague on details or timelines and will require tough negotiations between the U.S. and guarantors including Qatar, Egypt and Türkiye.
“The plan needs a lot of clarification,” Naim said.
One of the most pressing issues is the deployment of the International Stabilization Force.
Some countries, including Indonesia, have expressed willingness to contribute troops to the force, but its specific composition, command structure and responsibilities have not yet been determined. U.S. officials said they expected a “boot on the ground” early next year.
A key question is whether the force will be involved in disarmament issues.
Naim said this was unacceptable to Hamas and the group wanted troops to monitor the agreement.
“We welcome the presence of UN forces close to the border to monitor the ceasefire, report violations and prevent any kind of escalation,” he said. “But we do not accept that these forces have any authorization authorizing them to operate or implement within Palestinian territories.”
In a sign of progress, Naim said Hamas and the rival Palestinian Authority had made progress in forming a new committee of technical experts that would be responsible for managing day-to-day affairs in Gaza. He said they had agreed to chair the committee with a Palestinian cabinet minister who lives in the West Bank but is from Gaza. He was not named, but a Hamas official who requested anonymity to discuss the negotiations identified him as Health Minister Majid Abu Ramadan.
Stage 1 complications
Both Israel and Hamas have accused each other of repeatedly violating the agreement during the first phase.
Israel accuses Hamas of delaying the return of the hostages, while Palestinian health officials say more than 370 Palestinians have been killed in ongoing Israeli attacks since the ceasefire came into effect.
Israel said its strikes were in response to Palestinian violations, including Palestinian incursions into the Israeli-controlled Gaza Strip. Israeli and Egyptian officials said about 200 Hamas militants remained hiding underground in Israeli-controlled territory and three soldiers were killed in the clashes.
Naim said Hamas was “unknown” to the gunmen when the ceasefire was signed and that communications with them were “completely cut off.”
“So they don’t know what’s happening on the ground right now,” he said.
He claimed that Israel had rejected Hamas’s offer to resolve the impasse and had attached numerous “conditions” to its surrender. Israel has not recognized the talks and says it has killed dozens of people.
Naim said Hamas was committed to “fulfilling its obligations” and claimed Israel had failed to meet key commitments, including not injecting large amounts of humanitarian supplies into Gaza and failing to reopen the Rafah crossing with Egypt.
He said most of the goods entering Gaza are goods sold by private traders to Gaza’s few wealthy people, leaving large numbers of poor people without food or shelter.
Last week, Israel said it was ready to reopen Rafah – Gaza’s main gateway to the outside world – but only for people to leave the Strip. Egypt and the Palestinians fear this is a plot to expel Palestinians from Gaza and say Israel is obliged to open crossings in both directions.
Naeem calls October 7 a ‘defensive act’
The attack on October 7 killed more than 1,200 people and took more than 250 people hostage. It was the deadliest attack in Israel’s history and remains a source of great trauma to the country.
According to local health officials, Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed more than 70,000 Palestinians and displaced almost all of Gaza’s 2 million residents, causing widespread destruction that will take years to rebuild. It’s unclear who will pay for the reconstruction or when it will begin.
The Palestinian Health Ministry, which is affiliated with the Hamas government in Gaza, does not distinguish between civilians and militants but said about half of the dead were women and children.
Naim acknowledged the Palestinians had paid a heavy price for the Oct. 7 attack, but when asked whether the group regretted carrying out the attack, he insisted it was in response to years of Israeli policy dating back to the 1948 war surrounding the creation of the Israeli state.
“History doesn’t start on October 7,” he said. “October 7th was an act of defense on our part. We have done our part to elevate … the voices of our people.”
