GAZA, (Palestine Foundation Information Center), The Hamas spokesperson in Gaza, Hazem Qassem, said on Thursday that the issue of resistance weapons is an internal Palestinian matter that should be addressed through national dialogue and political consensus, stressing that the priority is ending Israel’s military presence in the Gaza Strip.
Qassem said continued Israeli calls for disarmament aim to deflect attention from what he described as crimes committed with Israeli weapons, backed by the US, which he said were used to destroy Gaza, besiege its population, and impose starvation over two years.
He stressed that the remarks by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, about focusing the second phase of the ceasefire on disarming Gaza rather than reconstruction amount to a clear breach of the agreement. Netanyahu made the comments earlier this week following the recovery of the body of Israeli soldier Ran Gvili from Gaza.
Qassem added that Israel is attempting to reorder the agreement’s timeline due to Netanyahu’s domestic political considerations and divisions within his government, calling it a blatant violation intended to preserve the ruling coalition.
Addressing reports of a plan attributed to the US president that includes provisions on resistance weapons, Qassem said mediators have not raised the issue and no comprehensive proposals have been presented.
He stressed that the current phase requires opening crossings, allowing full humanitarian aid, beginning reconstruction, and withdrawing Israeli forces from Gaza.
He said the second phase should proceed by empowering the independent national committee to administer Gaza, while other issues must be resolved through dialogue and national consensus, not imposed dictates.
Qassem reaffirmed Hamas’s commitment to fully transferring governance of Gaza to the designated committee and providing all conditions necessary for its success.
