Hamas leader Khaled Mashal (AP/Amr Nabil)
Hamas politburo chief Khaled Mashal rejects US demand that the terror group hand over its weapons, touts polling showing growing support for Hamas among young Americans.
By World Israel News Staff
A top Hamas official appeared to rule out key provisions in the Trump administration’s Gaza peace plan, defying President Donald Trump just weeks before the proposed announcement of the launch of phase two of the Gaza deal.
On Wednesday night, Al-Jazeera broadcast an interview with Khaled Mashal, co-chairman of Hamas’ politburo, in which the Hamas chief said the organization would never surrender its arsenal, though it would consider proposals to “store” its weapons.
“There are those who want to impose their vision on us, contrary to the Palestinian, Arab and Muslim position,” Mashal said. “For example, the issue of the resistance’s weapons.”
Mashal claimed that “when the Palestinian is disarmed… massacres follow,” and said that “disarmament for a Palestinian means stripping away his very soul.”
While the 20-point American peace plan mandates the total demilitarization of Gaza and the disarming of Hamas, Mashal rejected this demand, saying that at most, Hamas would consider shelving its weapons.
“The idea of total disarmament is unacceptable to the resistance. What is being proposed is a freeze, or storage… to provide guarantees against any military escalation from Gaza with the Israeli occupation.”
In addition, Mashal said Hamas would not accept the presence of United Nations peacekeepers inside the Gaza Strip – a reference to the US-backed international stabilization force, mandated to enforce the ceasefire, police Gaza, and ensure Hamas disarms.
Mashal said he “has no objection that there be an international stabilization force on the borders,” but he rejected any plans for an “occupation” by the ISF.
The 69-year-old terrorist went on to defend the 2023 invasion of Israel and touted the rise in global support for Hamas during the ensuing war.
“Fifty-one percent of American youth are supportive not only of the Palestinian cause, but of Hamas,” Mashal said.
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