Hamas appeared to backtrack on critical aspects of President Donald Trump’s cease-fire plan for Gaza, just hours after the world celebrated the release of all 20 living hostages. A top Hamas official declared that the group will not give up its weapons or relinquish control over the Gaza Strip.
“Not captives to Israeli terms”
Spokesman Hazem Qassem told Al-Arabiya on Monday, “We do not need to limit ourselves to the Israeli terms and definitions related to weapons. We will not be captives to Israeli terms or demands. This is one of the focal points of the struggle in the next stage, after the cessation of aggression in the Gaza Strip.”
Qassem reaffirmed Hamas’ long-standing position that the group will maintain its arms and governance over Gaza until a pathway for Palestinian statehood is outlined.
Trump’s 20-point plan and hostages release
Trump’s peace plan, which facilitated the release of all hostages on Monday, includes provisions for how Gaza should be governed once Hamas cedes control. However, details of implementation remain unresolved.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly rejected any deal that could result in a Palestinian state, emphasizing that Hamas must disarm for the ceasefire to remain valid.
Hamas open to limited administrative role
Despite resisting full disarmament and the loss of control, Qassem hinted that Hamas could allow Palestinian technocrats to manage parts of the Gaza Strip, in line with Trump’s ceasefire proposals.
He also suggested a potential role for the Palestinian Authority (PA) in West Bank governance. “Despite all our criticism, we do believe that it (the PA) is one of the national addresses, and we are ready to open a new page with it or for it to open a new page with the residents of Gaza and with the political forces and to be truly sincere in its intention to reach shared political understandings,” Qassem said.
