The New York Times has reported, citing officials, that Hamas would initially retain some of its weapons under a draft plan for Gaza.
According to the officials, the United States, which has demanded that Hamas surrender all weapons capable of striking Israel, would allow the movement to keep certain small arms, at least in the initial phase, under the draft weapons handover plan.
The newspaper said that a US led team, including Jared Kushner, Steve Witkoff, and Nickolay Mladenov, intends to share the plan with Hamas within weeks.
The officials, including a regional diplomat and individuals familiar with the plan, spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the details. They warned that the specifics could change and that different drafts may emerge, according to the US newspaper.
The draft plan envisions a phased disarmament process that could take months or longer to complete, the officials said.
Israeli officials were also quoted as saying that more than half of Gaza’s underground tunnels, which Hamas has used to store weapons, hide, and hold captives, remain intact.
White House spokesperson Dylan Johnson said the Trump administration expects Hamas to disarm and implement the so-called 20-point plan.
“The United States is working closely with all parties and mediators to ensure the full implementation of the plan and to advance a permanent security framework that supports long term stability in the region and Gaza’s prosperity,” he said.
The newspaper noted that it was not immediately clear who would take ownership of the weapons Hamas is expected to hand over or how the process would be carried out.
It added that the draft plan appears to be built on principles that have already been discussed publicly.
Last month, Mr Kushner presented a proposal in Davos, Switzerland, outlining steps for disarmament in Gaza, stating that “heavy weapons” would be taken out of service immediately.
The presentation also said that “personal weapons” would be registered and removed from service, with a new Palestinian administration assuming responsibility for security in the enclave, although it did not specify which weapons would be covered.
The New York Times also reported that it is unlikely Israel would withdraw its forces from the enclave before Hamas and other armed groups lay down their weapons.
Israel considers Hamas’s vast underground tunnel network in Gaza to be part of the group’s military infrastructure. Without disarmament, it would be difficult for the new Trump led peace council to implement the next steps of the 20 point plan. Mr Kushner, a key figure in the international group, holds no official role within the Trump administration but has become a principal architect of post war plans for Gaza.
The next steps include deploying an international stabilisation force in Gaza, launching large scale reconstruction, and transferring governance of the territory to a Palestinian technocratic committee.
Disarmament is described as “the central pillar of everything”.
Shira Efron, Israel policy director at the RAND Corporation, said: “Disarmament is the pillar of everything, and if it does not happen, we could end up with two Gazas, one run by Israel and the other by Hamas, or a return to full scale war.”
Hamas has not publicly announced whether it would surrender its weapons, and the idea of discussing disarmament has created divisions within the movement. For many Hamas members, handing over weapons would amount to surrender, as armed struggle against Israel is considered a core part of the group’s ideology, according to the report.
Last Sunday, Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal suggested that Hamas wants to retain its weapons but does not plan to use them in the near future.
“As long as there is occupation, there is resistance,” Meshaal said. However, he later added in his remarks that it is doubtful people in Gaza would consider taking up arms against Israel “over the next ten to fifteen years”.
