Hamas rebuffs ‘trap’ disarmament plan as Israeli violations stall ceasefire process

Palestinian sources with direct knowledge of the talks told Middle East Eye that Hamas views the plan, presented earlier this month, as a “trap” designed to ignite civil war in the Gaza Strip and destabilise Palestinian society. The group fears the proposal would leave Palestinians in Gaza defenceless while allowing Israeli-backed armed gangs to operate freely and spread disorder. “Hamas completely rejects this,” a Gaza-based source said, adding that opposition is even stronger within its military wing, the Qassam Brigades, which considers disarmament “collective suicide”. “They know that giving up their weapons is not an option and will not happen,” the source added. The plan was presented to the group by Nickolay Mladenov, the Board of Peace High Representative for Gaza, and focused on pressuring Hamas to relinquish its weapons, the sources said. They added that there were concerns that the proposal targets Palestinian armed groups while failing to address armed gangs operating under Israeli direction inside Gaza. “The aim is that disarmament would lead to greater instability, prompting more people to leave Gaza,” one source said. “It is a way to drain the Strip of its population.” 'They know that giving up their weapons is not an option and will not happen' - Gaza-based source Another element of the proposed deal that Hamas sees as unacceptable is the removal of 20,000 civil servants - effectively the entire administrative workforce - from their posts. “This would be a complete disaster for any society,” the source said. “You are talking about 20,000 people losing their jobs - people with the experience needed to run the Strip and manage its challenges. “Who would replace them? Would they have the necessary expertise? Replacing 20,000 civil servants in this way is simply illogical.” Hamas officials have also insisted that Israel must comply fully with the first phase of the ceasefire before any discussion of a second phase, including disarmament. According to the sources, Mladenov did not offer any substantive response to Palestinian demands. The US-brokered ceasefire, agreed in October last year, was intended to end the two-year genocide in which Israel killed 72,000 Palestinians and starved Gaza’s 2.3 million population. Under the agreement, Israel was required to lift restrictions on aid entry and allow in up to 600 trucks per day carrying food, fuel, medical supplies, shelter materials and commercial goods. However, Israel has not met those terms and continues to impose strict limits on aid deliveries, leaving the humanitarian situation largely unresolved. Israeli forces have also killed more than 700 Palestinians since the ceasefire was agreed. Negotiations under pressure The talks have continued over the past two weeks, with several described as tense. Mladenov presented the plan to a Hamas delegation in Cairo, framing it as a take-it-or-leave-it proposal, with implicit warnings that war could resume if it was rejected. During one meeting, Hamas was reportedly given a 48-hour ultimatum to respond or face a return to full-scale fighting. In another session, Mladenov was accompanied by US Major General Jasper Jeffers, commander of the so-called International Stabilisation Force, and senior US adviser Aryeh Lightstone. Gaza ‘heading towards famine’ as bread shortages deepen amid Israeli curbs Read More » The meeting with US officials was not coordinated in advance with the Hamas delegation, led by senior leader Khalil al-Hayya. Lightstone’s presence, sources said, added another layer of pressure on the group, as he pushed for concessions, further heightening tensions in the talks, which ended without agreement. Egypt, one of the mediators, has also been pressing Hamas to accept the proposal, despite concerns that it may not serve either Palestinian or Egyptian interests. “The Egyptians do not want to confront or upset Trump,” one source said. According to Asharq Al-Awsat, pressure has increased in recent days for Hamas to give preliminary approval to the proposal before negotiating its details at a later stage. A revised version reportedly envisages moving to talks on a second phase - including disarmament - as Israel begins implementing its obligations under the first phase. It remains unclear whether Hamas will accept the latest proposal. Asharq Al-Awsat also reported that Hamas is instead demanding firm guarantees that Israel will fully implement the first phase of the agreement before any discussion of a second phase. Israel's genocide in Gaza News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0