Hamas Officials Say Group Is Ready to Hand Over Some Weapons – NYT
Hamas is ready to hand over thousands of automatic rifles and other weapons used by its police and internal security forces in Gaza, two Hamas officials said.
If carried out, it would mark a major concession, as Hamas has until now publicly opposed giving up any of its arms.
The officials said the weapons would be transferred to a Palestinian administrative committee established to govern Gaza under the Board of Peace, an international body led by President Trump overseeing the cease-fire.
Hamas has previously said it is prepared to hand over responsibility for public services in Gaza to the U.S.-backed committee, but it has not disbanded its armed battalions, indicating it still seeks to retain influence in the territory despite Israeli and American opposition.
The proposal falls well short of full disarmament and demilitarization of Gaza, which is a core Israeli demand and a central part of President Trump’s peace plan. The plan also calls for removing Hamas from power and excluding it from any governing role.
When asked whether the committee would also be able to confiscate weapons belonging to Hamas’s military wing, the officials did not give a clear response.
