Hamas refuses disarmament, exile – but open to ceding Gaza

The terror group may see foregoing civilian governance as a different way to maintain power.

By Batya Jerenberg, World Israel News

Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem told the Saudi Al Arabiya and Al Hadath channels earlier this week that “any future arrangement will be reached through national (Palestinian) consensus,” and that “we do not cling to the rule of Gaza if that is in the interest of our people.”

He then explained, “There is no need for Hamas to be in Gaza’s government in the future,” while adding, “We have made concessions regarding the future of governance, but we have every right to remain part of the political landscape.”

In the same report, Al Arabiya cited a source “familiar with the ceasefire negotiations” who added an important caveat to Hamas’s seeming willingness to forego power.

The source said that Hamas renewed its commitment not to participate in the management of the Gaza Strip during the next phase, leaving wide open a future takeover of the coastal enclave.

Pundits have also noted the possibility that what lies behind Hamas outward flexibility is the realization that it would not necessarily be a bad thing to give up the civilian responsibilities of government, which include providing its people with the basic necessities of life after a war that has devastated the Gaza Strip.

It could then focus solely on rebuilding its military power and supplies over the coming years in order to continue trying to fulfill its charter and destroy Israel, without being distracted by the need to provide food, shelter, health care, and the like to the civilian population.

On Tuesday, Qassem doubled down, stating that Israel’s demand to force out the terror group from the coastal enclave and keep the area permanently weapons-free was “silly psychological warfare,” adding, “The removal of the resistance from Gaza or its disarmament is unacceptable.”

Egypt had reportedly put heavy pressure on Hamas to agree to relinquish control to the Palestinian Authority.

However, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu repeated an oft-stated mantra of his on the day after Qassem’s interview, saying that “there will be neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority” ruling Gaza after the war ends.

Instead, he was “committed” to U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan “to create a different Gaza.”

Israel’s government has enthusiastically backed Trump’s idea to have other countries absorb the Gazan population while the U.S. “takes over” the coastal enclave and rebuilds it to become a Hamas-free “Riviera of the Middle East.”

Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered the establishment of a new directorate within his ministry on Monday that would provide “extensive assistance” to Palestinians who would choose to emigrate from Gaza.

While much of the Arab world and part of Europe has slammed the idea, insisting that the Gazans must stay put and enjoy no freedom of movement, a poll published by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research last June found that even before the war, almost a third (31%) of Gazans thought of emigrating, with the number rising to 44% among those of prime fighting age, 18-29.

Most wanted to leave for economic motives, with “political” reasons coming second, “educational opportunities” third, and security and corruption rounding out the top five.

It would seemingly be easy to predict that these numbers would only rise if the survey were retaken now, with perhaps only the order of the motives changing somewhat.

The poll shows that the respondents’ preferred destinations were Turkey, Germany, Canada, the United States, and Qatar, in that order.