Senior Hamas official Khaled Mashal, who heads the terrorist organization's operations abroad, spoke Sunday at an Al Jazeera forum in Qatar, addressing the demand to demilitarize the Gaza Strip. Instead of Israel's demand for disarmament, Mashalproposed what he called "guarantees," including a long-term ceasefire lasting several years and a commitment to the "non-public display of weapons."
According to Mashal, "disarmament under Israel is an attempt to turn the Palestinians into an easy target to eliminate." He argued that a framework of guarantees could instead be established "through the mediators" to ensure the continuation of Gaza's reconstruction process.
Mashal, a member of Hamas' leadership council, said the terrorist organization had presented various parties with a formula under which guarantees would be provided that the war in Gaza would not resume and that weapons would not be displayed publicly. He said the idea revolved around how arms could be concealed and preserved without being used or shown.
The senior Hamas figure also said the organization had proposed a long-term ceasefire lasting several years as an additional guarantee. Mashal claimed he believed Hamas could persuade the Trump administration on the issue of weapons and force this approach on Israel, adding that mediators were discussing the proposal with US officials.
