Hamas rejects Israel’s 60-day disarmament ultimatum
Senior Hamas official Mahmoud Mardawi has dismissed Israeli claims that the group has been given 60 days to disarm, calling the statement “threats with no basis in the ongoing negotiations.”
Speaking in an interview, Mardawi said Hamas had received no such information from mediators after comments by Israeli Cabinet Secretary Yossi Fuchs suggesting a deadline could begin with a planned “Board of Peace” conference backed by Donald Trump.
Israel has said reconstruction of the Gaza Strip cannot proceed until Hamas disarms. A senior aide to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Fuchs said the proposed two-month period was requested by the United States administration.
“We will evaluate it,” Fuchs said, adding that if the plan fails, the Israel Defence Forces would “complete the mission.”
Mardawi warned that any renewed military action would have “serious repercussions for the region,” saying Palestinians would not surrender their weapons while Israel maintains its military presence.
Talks over a second phase of a ceasefire began in mid-January, with Washington seeking progress on Hamas disarmament and the possible deployment of an international peacekeeping force. Hamas leaders, including Khaled Meshaal, have rejected calls to disarm while the conflict continues.
Health authorities in Gaza say tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed since fighting escalated in October 2023, though the figures cannot be independently verified. Israel says it targets Hamas militants and blames the group for operating in civilian areas.
Negotiations mediated by regional partners are ongoing, with both sides accusing each other of violating ceasefire terms as humanitarian conditions in Gaza remain dire.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
