Hamas Rejects Disarmament, Condemns US Envoy’s Gaza Visit

The dispute came days after the Arab League and dozens of countries called on Hamas to disarm and condemned the October 7, 2023, massacre.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Hamas on Saturday denied reports that it would disarm, vowing to retain its weapons “as long as the occupation exists” and attacking US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff for visiting a Gaza aid distribution site.

The terrorists said their armed campaign would continue until Palestinians achieve “national rights,” including an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital. The statement rejected media accounts quoting Witkoff as saying Hamas had agreed to demilitarize.

Hamas also denounced Witkoff’s tour of a Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) center, calling the trip “a pre-arranged theatrical performance” to give Israel political cover for “starvation and genocide.” The group urged Washington to “end the cover for the crime of the century” and push for a ceasefire.

Israel dismissed the accusations as propaganda, saying it works to limit civilian harm while Hamas withholds food, hijacks UN aid, and uses civilians as human shields. GHF, backed by the US and Israel, began operating in May to bypass Hamas control over aid distribution. It runs four sites in southern and central Gaza.

The dispute came days after the Arab League and dozens of countries called on Hamas to disarm and condemned the October 7, 2023, massacre that started the war. Meeting with hostage families in Tel Aviv, Witkoff noted that “some Arab countries are demanding that Hamas disarm” and reaffirmed his belief that “we are going to be successful here ultimately.”

Witkoff said President Donald Trump now seeks a comprehensive agreement to end the war and secure the release of all hostages. “No piecemeal deals… that doesn’t work,” he said, calling Hamas “frustrating” to negotiate with due to its refusal to honor commitments.