Hamas, the Palestinian militant group, has expressed its willingness to lay down its weapons and transition into a political party as part of a long-term truce agreement with Israel. The proposal, озвуched by Khalil al-Hayya, a high-ranking Hamas official, came during an interview amid a stalemate in cease-fire talks. Al-Hayya suggested that Hamas would accept a Palestinian state encompassing the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and a return of Palestinian refugees, provided that its conditions are met. He emphasized the group’s desire to join the Palestine Liberation Organization and form a unified government for Gaza and the West Bank. However, the likelihood of Israel accepting such terms is uncertain, as the country has vowed to crush Hamas following deadly attacks and remains opposed to the establishment of a Palestinian state on pre-1967 captured territories. The Gaza war, which erupted in October 2022, has resulted in significant destruction and casualties. Al-Hayya asserted that Israeli forces had not significantly diminished Hamas’ capabilities and that contacts between the political leadership outside and military leadership inside Gaza remained intact. He also addressed the potential threat posed by Israeli forces stationed near a floating pier being constructed by the U.S. for aid delivery, stating that Hamas would view any non-Palestinian presence in Gaza as an occupying power. Furthermore, Al-Hayya denied that Hamas had targeted civilians during its attacks and maintained that the operation had brought the Palestinian issue back into the international spotlight.
Hamas Willing to Lay Down Weapons for Palestinian State
