Hamas Rejects Disarmament and Foreign Rule

A senior Hamas leader, Khaled Mashal, has publicly stated that the Palestinian Islamist movement will not surrender its weapons nor accept foreign intervention in the Palestine===Gaza Strip. This declaration directly contradicts key demands from the United States and Israel, which are part of a US-brokered ceasefire agreement. The ceasefire's second phase envisions the demilitarization of Gaza, including Hamas's disarmament, and a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces. Meshaal emphasized that armed resistance is a right against occupation and that Palestinians should govern Palestinians. This stance complicates the efforts of a newly established Palestinian technocratic committee and the US-initiated 'Board of Peace' and 'Gaza Executive Board', which aim to oversee the truce and post-war reconstruction. Israeli officials estimate Hamas still possesses a significant number of fighters and weapons in Gaza.