Hamas awaits an independent Palestine for disarmament

Amid the ongoing armed conflict in the Gaza Strip, the Hamas movement announced in its statement that it is not ready to surrender its weapons. This was reported by Zamin.uz.

The movement emphasized that disarmament will only be agreed upon once an independent and sovereign Palestinian state is established. This statement is seen as a direct response to Israel's previously stated main demand – the disarmament of Hamas.

Indirect negotiations mediated by Qatar and Egypt in recent weeks ended without results. These negotiations aimed to reach an agreement on a 60-day ceasefire and the issue of hostages.

The two-state solution initiative proposed by France and Saudi Arabia was supported by Qatar and Egypt. According to this initiative, Hamas was supposed to hand over its weapons to the Palestinian Authority supported by the West.

However, Hamas rejected this demand. The movement's statement reads: “Armed resistance is our natural right.

This right can only be relinquished once a fully independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital is established.” Hamas has maintained political and military control over Gaza since 2007. However, following the attack on October 7, 2023, the large-scale war initiated by Israel resulted in significant losses for the movement.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu previously stated that he rejects the establishment of a Palestinian state, emphasizing that such a state would pose a threat to Israel's security. Netanyahu also sharply criticized the plans of countries like the United Kingdom and Canada to recognize a Palestinian state, describing it as a reward for Hamas.

As a result of the war that began after the events of October 7, more than 60,000 Palestinians have been killed so far. A large part of Gaza's infrastructure has been destroyed, and millions of people are facing a humanitarian crisis.

The unsuccessful conclusion of the recent negotiations indicates deep disagreements between the parties, particularly regarding issues such as the withdrawal of Israeli military forces from Gaza and security control.