FLASH
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Hamas, the Palestinian armed group, reiterated today its position that it will not give up its weapons unless a sovereign Palestinian state is established, thus responding to one of Israel's main demands in the negotiations for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
The statement comes in response to comments by US President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, who claimed that Hamas had expressed a willingness to surrender its weapons. In a statement released on Saturday, Hamas rejected any suggestion of disarmament without meeting its conditions.
“We cannot give up our right to resistance and our weapons until an independent and fully sovereign Palestinian state is established, with Jerusalem as its capital,” the statement said. This stance by Hamas reinforces the ongoing challenges to brokered negotiations to secure a ceasefire and the release of hostages held in Gaza.
Israel has repeatedly said that Hamas's disarmament is a fundamental condition for any agreement aimed at ending the long-running conflict in the region. Indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas, brokered by Egypt and Qatar, stalled last week due to deep disagreements on key issues, including disarmament and control of Gaza territory.
In recent days, several Arab governments, including Egypt and Jordan, have pressured Hamas to disarm and hand over administrative control of Gaza as a step toward stabilizing the region. The developments come at a time when several Western countries, including France and Canada, have announced plans to formally recognize the state of Palestine, a move that has further strained relations with Israel.
The United Kingdom has stated that it may follow the same course until September if Israel does not meet certain conditions, including progress in peace negotiations and easing the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
On the other hand, General Eyal Zamir of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) issued a strong warning, saying that Israel will continue military operations in Gaza if negotiations for the rapid release of the hostages fail.
"There will be no interruption in our actions until we ensure that the hostages are returned safely ," Zamir said at a press conference.
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