In meeting with Board of Peace director-general, Hamas refuses UN disarmament plans until Israel commits to withdrawal

Hamas has refused to commit to the plans proposed by the United Nations for its disarmament, citing lack of advancement in Israel’s commitments in the ceasefire deal, two Hamas official sources told Mada Masr on the condition of anonymity. The refusal came during crucial meetings hosted by Cairo over Friday and Saturday between Hamas representatives and former UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process and Board of Peace Director-General Nickolay Mladenov to discuss Hamas’s response to the disarmament proposal that he previously presented to the movement. Mladenov’s proposal would see the Palestinian group’s arms removed and their network of tunnels destroyed gradually within a timeframe not exceeding eight months.  The former UN special coordinator announced during a briefing to the UN Security Council at the end of March that mediators had agreed on a framework for the disarmament of Hamas and other Palestinian armed factions in Gaza and that this framework had been officially presented to the various parties. He called upon the Security Council to use all available means to urge Hamas and the factions to accept the framework without delay, considering its implementation the only way to move forward with the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, which he also linked to a phased Israeli withdrawal. According to the first Hamas source, when the group’s representatives met over the past two days with Mladenov in Cairo, they rejected the proposal and presented a list of demands that they believe must be discussed before considering disarmament. The source explained that Hamas views the plan as “unrealistic,” as it calls for the group to abandon its weapons amid regular Israeli violation of the ceasefire as well as failure to uphold its commitments in the first phase of the ceasefire agreement, particularly military withdrawal from Gaza and lifting of the blockade. The violations extended to the Occupation’s military expanding its control over new areas within the Gaza Strip. The first phase of the ceasefire agreement, presented in September by United States President Donald Trump, stipulated a complete cessation of hostilities, exchange of captives, entry of humanitarian aid to Gaza and a partial withdrawal of Israeli forces in Gaza that should lead to a complete withdrawal.  Speaking to Mada Masr, Ismail al-Thawabta, head of the Government Media Office in Gaza, pointed out that violations of the ceasefire by the Occupation forces have killed over 700 Palestinians in Gaza since the agreement was signed. He also noted the Occupation has not complied with the agreement to allow sufficient quantities of aid into the Gaza Strip, dismissing claims by Mladenov that 602 trucks were granted permission to enter the strip on April 9, stressing that only 207 trucks entered Gaza that day. The ceasefire agreement stipulates that at least 600 humanitarian aid trucks should enter Gaza daily. Thawabta added that the Occupation continues to prevent the entry of materials and equipment necessary for removing rubble, as well as reconstruction materials. However, it prevents the entry of sufficient quantities of medicines and medical supplies. The Hamas source also noted that Mladenov’s plan ties disarmament to the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, a connection Hamas categorically rejects. The second Hamas source pointed to widespread rejection of Mladenov’s plan within the group’s members, amid a feeling of bias toward Israel. This stems from his attempt to link the issues, ignoring Israel’s failure to fulfill its obligations under the first phase of the ceasefire agreement, according to the source. Another side to Hamas’s rejection of Mladenov’s proposal is the group’s reservations about the term “disarmament” used in Mladenov’s proposal instead of “handing over weapons,” which appeared in the movement’s list of demands, according to the first Hamas source, who noted that Hamas aimed to clarify the difference between the two terms. The source explained that Hamas is willing to agree to handing over its weapons to a neutral party, with guarantees to preserve them for the event that Israel carries out further attacks. And only if phase one of the ceasefire agreement is upheld. “Withdraw and lift the siege, and then we will discuss the issue of handing over weapons,” is how the source summarized Hamas’s response.The post In meeting with Board of Peace director-general, Hamas refuses UN disarmament plans until Israel commits to withdrawal first appeared on Mada Masr.