Hamas Floats Weapon ‘Freeze’ As Trump-Led Gaza Deal Enters Crucial Phase

 

 

Hamas has signalled—for the first time—that it is willing to “freeze or store” its weapons as part of the U.S.-brokered ceasefire with Israel, opening the door to the most explosive and politically treacherous phase of Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan.

 

Speaking from Doha, senior Hamas political bureau member Bassem Naim said the group was prepared to explore a long-term truce lasting five to ten years, during which Hamas could halt use of its arsenal under Palestinian guarantees. Naim framed the proposal as a step towards a future Palestinian state, but insisted the group retains its “right to resist.”

 

The comments come as the ceasefire—based on Trump’s 20-point plan, adopted at the U.N.—moves into Phase Two: the part that deals with who controls Gaza, who keeps the guns, and who stands on the borders.

 

Since the truce paused Israel’s two-year offensive in October, both sides have swapped prisoners and the remains of hostages. Only one set of remains is still believed to be held in Gaza. Now the negotiations turn to the thorniest issues: the deployment of an international stabilisation force, the withdrawal of Israeli troops, the formation of a technocratic Palestinian committee, and, above all, the disarmament of Hamas.

 

Trump will chair an international board overseeing implementation and reconstruction, with Qatar, Egypt and Turkey serving as “guarantor” states. But even the U.S. admits the plan is vague and riddled with gaps.

Israel has already warned that anything short of total disarmament is a non-starter. Hamas, meanwhile, says foreign troops inside Gaza are unacceptable—the most they’ll tolerate is a U.N. monitoring force positioned near the borders, not operating internally.

 

Naim insisted Hamas is “open-minded” about weapons management, saying arms could be frozen, stored, or locked away under Palestinian oversight, but only within the context of a credible political process. He did not explain where the weapons would be stored, who would verify compliance, or how Israel would be reassured.

 

He also confirmed Hamas and the Palestinian Authority have agreed on a candidate—believed to be Health Minister Majed Abu Ramadan—to head the new technocratic committee for governing Gaza’s day-to-day affairs.

 

But even Phase One is still messy. Israel accuses Hamas of dragging out hostage returns; Palestinian officials say over 370 people have been killed by Israeli strikes since the ceasefire began. Israel claims those strikes were responses to violations, including the presence of around 200 Hamas fighters still underground in Israeli-held areas. Naim said Hamas leadership had “no contact” with those militants and denied coordinating any new attacks.

 

On Oct. 7 itself—still the defining trauma of Israeli society—Naim doubled down, calling the massacre an “act of defense”, despite more than 1,200 Israelis killed and 250 hostages taken. He acknowledged the immense Palestinian suffering but blamed decades of Israeli actions dating back to 1948.

Meanwhile Gaza remains shattered, with 70,000 Palestinians killed, nearly all two million residents displaced, and reconstruction costs spiralling with no clear payer.

 

Whether Hamas’s new “weapon freeze” language is a serious opening—or diplomatic theatre—may determine whether Trump’s plan survives its most perilous phase.

 

Key Takeaways

• Hamas hints at a weapons ‘freeze,’ but not surrender — a direct clash with Israel’s demand for total disarmament.

• Trump-led Phase Two talks now hit the explosive questions: who rules Gaza, who controls the borders, and who keeps the guns.

• Naim defends Oct. 7 as an “act of defense,” deepening Israeli fury as both sides accuse each other of violating the ceasefire.

 

SOURCE: AP

Why the eff does Hamas get to call it? Or the US? Or the Israelis? It's the Palestine people who should have a public referendum. The IDF is killing Palestinians every day, not Hamas.