Hamas Denies Disarmament Plan for Gaza, Says Official

A senior Palestinian official, who is well-versed in ongoing negotiations, informed the BBC that Hamas has turned down a disarmament proposal by Nickolay Mladenov, the US-led Board of Peace’s representative for Gaza. The official claimed Mladenov’s stance favors Israel, creating tension in the talks.

Last month, Mladenov introduced a framework for Gaza’s demilitarization as part of the second phase of the ceasefire agreement reached between Hamas and Israel in October. According to the official, Hamas informed regional mediators it would not proceed with discussions on phase two until Israel fully met the terms of the first phase. Israel, in turn, insists it will not advance without progress on Hamas’s disarmament.

During a meeting in Cairo, a Hamas delegation was set to meet Egypt’s intelligence chief before leaving. The first phase of Trump’s plan achieved a temporary pause in hostilities, exchanged Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, and saw Israeli forces withdraw partially from Gaza. However, since mid-January, when US envoy Steve Witkoff announced phase two’s start, a stalemate has emerged between Israel and Hamas.

The second phase aims to finalize the war’s end through Gaza’s demilitarization and a complete Israeli withdrawal. Mladenov outlined a plan requiring Palestinian armed groups to dismantle their weapons, linking compliance to the resumption of reconstruction after Israel’s military campaign caused widespread destruction. This came in response to the Hamas-led attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, which killed around 1,200 people and captured 251 as hostages.

As of now, over 72,330 people have died in Israeli military operations in Gaza since the October attack, with 757 casualties recorded since the ceasefire began on 10 October 2025, according to Hamas-run health data. The official stated:

“We are waiting for Mladenov to provide a clear timetable for Israel to fulfill the remaining obligations of phase one, along with guarantees to halt Israeli violations, before any discussion of phase two begins.”

Hamas and other factions argue that weapons are central to a broader solution ensuring self-determination, not just partial measures. The official noted that Mladenov’s approach “aligns with the Israeli position,” tying all issues to disarmament without allocating funds for recovery, which has stalled reconstruction efforts. Hamas demands a full Israeli withdrawal and international forces to assist in civilian protection.

Earlier, Mladenov told the UN Security Council:

“The laying down of arms by militant actors would represent a decisive break from cycles of violence that have defined life in Gaza for decades. For the people of Gaza, the implications are profound: Israeli military withdrawal and large-scale reconstruction.”

He framed the choice as between “a renewed war, or a new beginning.”

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu previously warned Hamas that it would be disarmed “either the easy way or the hard way.”