Doha / Gaza – In a late-night interview with Al Jazeera tonight, senior Hamas political bureau member Mousa Abu Marzouk explicitly rejected any notion that the group agreed to disarm as part of the U.S.-brokered ceasefire framework.
Key statements from Abu Marzouk:
- “Hamas has never agreed to hand over its weapons.”
- “Hamas agreed to a framework plan to end the war. The issue of handing over weapons was not discussed at all.”
- “All arrangements planned in Gaza must happen with Hamas’ consent.”
- “Netanyahu cannot boast about the return of Israeli prisoners because they all returned according to Hamas’ agreement and conditions.”
The remarks directly contradict repeated U.S. and Israeli assertions that the ceasefire deal requires full Hamas disarmament and no future military role in Gaza. They come as the ceasefire’s first phase (hostage releases, partial Israeli withdrawal) has been completed, but implementation of later stages—including demilitarization—remains stalled.
President Trump has repeatedly stated that “Hamas will have no future role in Gaza” and that “complete disarmament” is non-negotiable. Abu Marzouk’s comments appear to signal Hamas’s intent to retain its arsenal under any future governance arrangement in the Strip.
