Will Hamas give up arms? Group clarifies reports ahead of Trump proposed Gaza talks in Egypt
Hamas denies agreeing to disarm under Trump’s Gaza plan ahead of Egypt talks, warning the US proposal requires further negotiation.
Hamas on Sunday firmly rejected claims that it had agreed to disarm under US President Donald Trump’s proposed Gaza peace deal, calling such reports “false and politically motivated” and aimed at weakening its position in the region.
Senior Hamas official Mahmoud Mardawi dismissed the reports on October 5. In a statement shared on the group’s official Telegram channel, Hamas said Mardawi “completely rejects all false claims of progress in ceasefire talks or any discussion of disarmament.”
What did Trump say about Hamas and Gaza?
Donald Trump also issued a stark warning to Hamas regarding control of Gaza, threatening the group with “complete obliteration” if it refused to relinquish power.
According to CNN, the President made the remarks in response to questions about his 20-point ceasefire plan. When asked directly over text message what would happen if Hamas insisted on staying in power, Trump said: “Complete Obliteration!”
Who is attending the talks in Egypt?
Delegations from Hamas and Israel, along with US and regional mediators, are set to convene in Egypt to discuss a plan to end the nearly two-year conflict in Gaza. Trump has urged negotiators to “move fast” to bring an end to the war.
Hamas’s delegation will be led by Khalil al-Hayya, the group’s most senior member outside Gaza, who recently survived an assassination attempt by Israel in Qatar. The Israeli delegation is headed by Ron Dermer, minister of strategic affairs and one of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s closest advisers.
The US will be represented by Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and special envoy Steve Witkoff.
What are Hamas’s positions on the Trump plan?
While Hamas has agreed to certain provisions of the US proposal, the group has requested further negotiations and has not committed to disarmament, one of the central points of Trump’s plan.
“Completely rejects all false claims of progress in ceasefire talks or any discussion of disarmament,” Mardawi said, reaffirming the group’s position.
The talks in Egypt mark a critical moment in efforts to broker a ceasefire and potentially end the devastating conflict in Gaza, which has continued for nearly two years with heavy civilian casualties.