GAZA (Dispatches) — A senior Hamas official has flatly rejected Donald Trump’s claim that a phased disarmament agreement has been reached, insisting that the resistance group’s weapons will remain in place until Israeli forces completely withdraw from Gaza and reconstruction of the devastated territory begins.
Ghazi Hamad, a member of Hamas’ negotiating delegation, made the remarks Thursday after Trump claimed that talks in Cairo between resistance leaders and Gaza ceasefire mediators had led to a disarmament agreement in the besieged Palestinian territory.
“The issue of weapons is linked to the Israeli withdrawal, the entry of the Palestinian National Committee, and reconstruction,” Hamad told Al Jazeera, making clear that any discussion of disarmament depends entirely on these conditions being met first.
The Hamas negotiator described the talks as “difficult and tough,” adding that his group seeks to secure the best possible outcome while remaining committed to protecting Palestinian rights. However, he warned that Hamas will not implement any part of a deal if Israeli forces fail to fulfill their obligations.
Hamad further emphasized that Israel would have no role in any disarmament process, which would be carried out exclusively by the Palestinian National Committee.
The Hamas official’s response directly undercuts Trump’s announcement, revealing that the Cairo talks remain far from any conclusive agreement. While the U.S. president portrayed the negotiations as producing results, Hamad’s statements exposed significant gaps between the two sides on fundamental issues.
Adding to the uncertainty, a senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad official said the movement has serious reservations about the current draft agreement circulating in media.
Ali Abu Shaheen, a member of the movement’s political bureau, said Islamic Jihad is seeking a Gaza agreement that eases Palestinian suffering while preserving national rights and the resistance. But he insisted on strict conditions before any deal is finalized.
“We want every commitment made by the resistance to be matched by a clear corresponding commitment from Israel,” Abu Shaheen stated, stressing that all provisions must be equally binding on both parties rather than placing obligations on only one side.
Even a U.S. official acknowledged the arrangement is conditional rather than a confidence-building measure. “This isn’t really a trust deal,” the official told USA Today, calling it a “conditions-based deal.”
The diplomatic developments come as Israeli forces continue expanding their atrocities in Gaza. Terrorist prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the regime intends to extend its control to 70% of the Palestinian territory.
Israeli strikes on Thursday killed at least two children, a woman, and three men, according to health officials—the latest casualties in a campaign that has now killed over 73,000 Palestinians since October 2023.