Hamas denies agreeing to disarm

The Palestinian militant group has denied media reports claiming it will surrender its weapons to an international body

The Palestinian militant group Hamas on Sunday denied media reports suggesting it was ready to disarm immediately to implement US President Donald Trump’s ceasefire plan.

Earlier in the day, several media outlets reported, citing anonymous sources, that the group had agreed to hand over its arsenal to a Palestinian-Egyptian body under international supervision and has informed the US of its decision.

However, Hamas was quick to deny the “fabricated claims,” stating its position is communicated only through official channels.

“What was published is baseless and aims to distort the position and confuse public opinion,” the group said in a statement.

Hamas partially agreed to Trump’s plan on Friday, signaling its readiness to hand over surviving Israeli hostages and the bodies of the deceased, as well as to transfer the governance of Gaza to “a Palestinian body of independents.” 

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While the group did not mention disarmament, a senior Hamas official, Mousa Abu Marzook, further elaborated on the matter to Al Jazeera shortly afterward. The group will only “hand over weapons to the coming Palestinian state, and whoever governs Gaza will have weapons in their hands,” he said.

Hamas took around 250 people hostage during its October 7, 2023 surprise attack on southern Israel that left at least 1,200 people dead and triggered the subsequent Israeli military campaign in Gaza. The group is believed to still hold some 50 hostages, of whom roughly half are thought to be still alive.

The Israeli military has conducted ground operations in Gaza, combined with heavy aerial and artillery bombardment, causing widespread destruction across the Palestinian enclave. The conflict has displaced most of the population of around two million, with more than 68,000 killed, according to the local health authorities.