Israel, Hamas were not ready for a comprehensive peace deal, mediator says
More recently, Hamas has publicly stated its opposition to disarmament. He proposed launching a Palestinian national dialogue about the future of Gaza, including the fate of the weapons.
The war with Israel has significantly weakened Hamas, and there are divisions within the group on key questions regarding Hamas’ future direction.
There are serious unresolved questions about what will happen after the hostages are released, including the disarmament of Hamas, the timeline for Israel’s withdrawal, and the future governance of Gaza.Credit: access point
Some leaders and members want Hamas to refuse to lay down its weapons, even if it means a resumption of fighting and the deaths of more Palestinians. Others say the group needs to be more pragmatic on weapons and other issues.
By surrendering the remaining hostages in Gaza, Hamas has engaged in a significant exchange of influence with Israel, which is unsure of achieving all its goals in return.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly said that Hamas must be disarmed to end the war in Gaza permanently.
Hamas has long viewed this demand as tantamount to surrender and views armed struggle as a legitimate form of resistance to Israeli control of Palestinian territory.
Netanyahu promised this month that Hamas would be disarmed and Gaza would be demilitarized through diplomacy or force.
“It will either be achieved the easy way, or it will be achieved the hard way,” he said. “But it will be achieved.”
Some Arab mediators have said they believe they can persuade Hamas to partially disarm as long as President Donald Trump guarantees that Israel will not restart the war.
Sheikh Mohammed said one issue that needs to be addressed is to whom Hamas will hand over its weapons. He said there is a distinct difference between Hamas giving its weapons to the Palestinian authority and the group giving its weapons to another unit.
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It is not yet clear when negotiations will begin regarding the outstanding disputes between Israel and Hamas.
Trump’s road map to end the war in Gaza calls for the establishment of a temporary international stabilization force. Sheikh Mohammed said the next step should be the discussion on the creation of such a force, which he sees as linked to the disarmament of Hamas and the further withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza.
The US plan states that once the force takes control, the Israeli army should withdraw based on agreed upon “standards, milestones and timeframes associated with demilitarization.”
According to the plan, the stabilization force should also train Palestinian police officers and help secure border areas.
This article was first published on: New York Times.
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