A senior Hamas leader has rejected calls for Palestinian armed groups in Gaza to disarm, saying such demands are incompatible with the continued Israeli military occupation of the territory.
Speaking on Sunday at the Al Jazeera Forum in Doha, Khaled Meshaal, Hamas’s political chief abroad, said stripping weapons from Palestinians under occupation would leave them vulnerable to attack.
“As long as the occupation continues, discussion of disarmament would turn our people into an easy target,” Meshaal said, adding that Israel remains heavily armed with international military support.
Opposition to Disarmament Under Occupation
Meshaal framed current demands for Hamas to surrender its weapons as part of a long-standing effort to weaken Palestinian resistance, arguing that such proposals ignore the broader context of occupation.
He said any serious discussion about Gaza’s future must begin with reconstruction, humanitarian relief, and guarantees that hostilities will not resume.
“If we are to talk about the future, it requires an environment that supports rebuilding and prevents the return of war,” he said, noting that Hamas has conveyed its position through mediators including Qatar, Türkiye, and Egypt, as well as through indirect communication with the United States.
Meshaal said these discussions reflect Hamas’s broader vision, which he described as incompatible with unilateral disarmament.
U.S. Pressure and Ceasefire Talks
Last month, Donald Trump called for the “comprehensive” demilitarisation of Hamas, warning of consequences if the group refused. Hamas has repeatedly said it will not relinquish its weapons while Israel continues to occupy Gaza.
Under the second phase of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement reached in October last year between Israel and Hamas, Washington has said negotiations would address disarmament and the potential deployment of an international peacekeeping force.
However, Israel has continued near-daily military strikes across Gaza despite the ceasefire and has not withdrawn from the so-called “Yellow Line” in eastern Gaza, an informal boundary that leaves more than half of the territory under Israeli military control. Palestinian officials say hundreds of people have been killed and wounded since the ceasefire began.
Blame Directed at Israel
Meshaal said the central issue is not a lack of guarantees from Hamas, but Israel’s actions.
“The problem is Israel’s desire to confiscate Palestinian weapons and transfer power to militias to create chaos,” he said.
As an alternative, Meshaal reiterated Hamas’s proposal for a long-term truce lasting between five and ten years, arguing that such an arrangement would ensure weapons are not used.
“Hamas has proposed an extended calm. This is a guarantee that arms are not deployed,” he said, adding that mediating countries could act as guarantors.
Framing the Conflict
Meshaal said the roots of the conflict lie in occupation and the denial of Palestinian self-determination.
“Resistance is the right of a people living under occupation,” he said, describing it as consistent with international law and historical struggles against foreign rule.
Palestinian Statehood and Global Response
Referring to the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, Meshaal described it as a turning point that forced renewed international focus on the Palestinian issue.
He welcomed the growing number of countries recognising a Palestinian state but said symbolic recognition alone is insufficient.
“Recognition by 159 countries is positive, but the real challenge is how to make a Palestinian state a reality on the ground,” he said.
Meshaal also urged Arab and Muslim countries to intensify diplomatic efforts against Israel, calling for a shift from defensive positioning to a more assertive approach in international forums.
“We want to establish that this is a pariah entity that threatens stability and security,” he said, comparing Israel’s position to that of apartheid-era South Africa.
He concluded by asserting that Palestinians remain the victims of injustice, while those responsible for what he described as crimes in Gaza should be held accountable.