Hamas: Disarmament Is a Palestinian Issue, Not Israel’s Pretext
Hazem Qassem says talk of Palestinian weapons is an internal national matter and warns that Israel is exaggerating the issue to evade its ceasefire obligations.
Palestine, PUREWILAYAH.COM - Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem stated that discussions surrounding Palestinian weapons are purely a Palestinian internal and national matter, and cannot be used by the Zionist regime as a pretext to avoid commitments under the fragile ceasefire in Gaza.
Qassem, speaking about the situation in Gaza under a month-old ceasefire repeatedly violated by Israel, stressed that any UN Security Council resolution on a ceasefire must guarantee that the war will not resume and that Israel withdraws from the Strip.
Weapons Issue Must Be Decided Internally, Not Through External Pressure
Qassem made clear that the question of Palestinian weapons must be debated among Palestinians themselves, at the internal and national level, to shape a unified vision for the Palestinian struggle—independent of any Israeli attempts to impose conditions or dictate outcomes.
He emphasized that this internal discussion about weapons creates no obstacle to advancing the ceasefire agreement to its second phase.
According to Qassem, Israel is deliberately inflating the weapons issue to escape the obligations it agreed to under the ceasefire arrangement.
He added that Israel’s focus on Palestinian arms is merely an attempt to distract global attention from two years of genocidal war in Gaza, during which nearly 100,000 Palestinians have been killed.
Ceasefire Must Be Internationally Protected — Without Foreign Interference in Palestine’s Internal Affairs
In an interview with Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, Qassem said the ceasefire must be backed by international institutions and the United Nations to ensure humanitarian aid reaches the people of Gaza.
He stressed that internal Palestinian arrangements must remain free from any foreign intervention and under Palestinian leadership alone.
Regarding international peacekeeping forces, he noted that Palestinian factions agree they should play only one role: preventing renewed Israeli aggression — without interfering in daily life inside the Gaza Strip.
Hamas Open to Meeting U.S. Officials — If It Strengthens the Ceasefire
Qassem also addressed recent reports about efforts by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff to meet Khalil al-Hayya.
He confirmed that Hamas is open to direct meetings with American officials, as long as such engagements:
guarantee continuation of the ceasefire,
ensure full implementation of its terms,
stop Israeli aggression, and
secure Palestinian demands.
Hamas had previously met with U.S. envoys both in Sharm el-Sheikh and in Qatar.
Israel Blocking Progress Toward the Second Phase
Qassem said Hamas is fully ready to enter the next phase of negotiations, but Israel is avoiding progress due to internal political tensions.
He confirmed that initial meetings regarding the second phase have already taken place and continue.
Hamas has fulfilled its commitments in the prisoner exchange process and is working to finalize the file related to the bodies of deceased Israeli captives. Parallel national meetings are underway to develop a unified Palestinian vision for the second phase. (PW)