Hamas said Saturday it has not agreed to disarm as part of ongoing ceasefire negotiations in Gaza, refuting claims reportedly made earlier in the day by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff during a conversation with the families of Israeli hostages.
“We reiterate that resistance and its weapons are a national and legal right as long as the occupation continues,” Hamas said in a statement. “This right is recognized by international laws and norms and cannot be relinquished until our full national rights are restored — foremost among them, the establishment of a fully sovereign and independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.”
Families of hostages confirmed that Witkoff did state Hamas had agreed to disarm, and added that he claimed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is committed to ending the war. The American envoy, who visited U.S.-funded aid distribution centers in Gaza on Friday alongside Ambassador Mike Huckabee, reportedly also said there is no starvation in Gaza and accused Hamas of failing to uphold its commitments in hostage negotiations.
Get the Ynetnews app on your smartphone: Google Play: https://bit.ly/4eJ37pE | Apple App Store: https://bit.ly/3ZL7iNv
Witkoff said that negotiations are now centered around an “all-for-all” deal—either all hostages are released at once, or no deal at all—rather than a phased release.
In response, Hamas dismissed the envoy’s remarks and visit as “a staged and pre-planned performance aimed at misleading public opinion and polishing Israel’s image.” The group denounced the statements as “false” and accused Israel of killing more than 1,300 “innocent, starving civilians” in Gaza, including aid workers.
The negotiations remain deadlocked amid continued fighting, humanitarian concerns and growing tensions over the future of Gaza’s governance and reconstruction.