Hebrew media outlets reported on Friday evening the existence of an internal document attributed to Hamas, indicating the movement’s rejection of international proposals calling for the dismantling of its weapons in exchange for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.
According to Israel’s Kan channel, a meeting took place in Cairo between Hamas representatives and the Director General of the so called Peace Council affiliated with the US administration. The discussions reportedly addressed the issue of disarmament. However, the leaked document shows that Hamas maintains its position that resistance weapons remain a legitimate means of defence as long as Israeli occupation continues.
Resistance Weapons Tied to End of Occupation
The report states that Hamas has conditioned any discussion regarding its weapons on the complete end of the occupation, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, and the lifting of the blockade. The movement rejected attempts to link humanitarian issues and reconstruction efforts to Israeli and international security demands.
In the document, Hamas reportedly described the international proposals as unrealistic, stressing that decisions concerning its weapons are an internal Palestinian matter that will not be subject to external pressure or dictates.
The movement also emphasised the need to preserve existing security and police structures within Gaza in order to prevent a governance vacuum during the reconstruction phase.
Israeli Military Preparing for Escalation
The channel cited an Israeli security source stating that the army is preparing field plans to resume military operations in the near term if no progress is achieved on the disarmament issue.
Broader Political Context
On 16 January, the White House announced the establishment of what it called a Peace Council for Gaza, alongside the formation of a Gaza Executive Council, as part of efforts to transition into the second phase of the ceasefire agreement.
One day earlier, President Donald Trump declared the start of the second phase of the Gaza agreement under his 20 point plan to end the war, which was adopted by the United Nations Security Council through Resolution 2803 issued on 17 November 2025.
Despite the agreement, Israeli forces continue to violate the ceasefire on a daily basis. According to the latest figures from the Ministry of Health, these violations have resulted in the killing of 736 Palestinians and the injury of 2035 others.
The agreement itself followed two years of a genocidal war launched by Israeli forces on Gaza on 8 October 2023, with US backing. The war has continued in various forms since then, resulting in more than 72,000 Palestinian martyrs, over 172,000 injured, and widespread destruction affecting approximately 90 percent of the territory’s infrastructure.
