Hamas Rejects Disarmament, Offers No Visible Arms in Gaza Ahead of 8-Faction Cairo Talks
Updated
Updated · Al Jazeera English · Jun 5
Hamas Rejects Disarmament, Offers No Visible Arms in Gaza Ahead of 8-Faction Cairo Talks
2 articles · Updated · Al Jazeera English · Jun 5
Summary
Hamas said it will not hand over its weapons, but proposed keeping arms out of public view and limiting visible weapons in Gaza to official Palestinian police under a national committee.
Cairo talks due this weekend will bring together 8 Palestinian factions as Hamas seeks to revive the October 2025 US-brokered ceasefire while resisting demands to make disarmament a precondition for phase two.
The group says Israel has met less than 30% of phase-one obligations: only 150 to 250 aid trucks enter daily versus the agreed 600, and about 1,000 people have been killed since the truce began.
A 15-point roadmap backed by ceasefire guarantors ties gradual, Palestinian-led decommissioning to an Israeli troop pullback and deployment of an international stabilization force, but Palestinian officials call it a stalling tactic.
The deadlock is also blocking Gaza's proposed national administration committee, which says it will not enter under Israeli-controlled conditions; Gaza's war toll has reached 72,942 dead, with 85% of buildings damaged or destroyed.
With troop pledges stalled and key allies absent, is the proposed international stabilization force for Gaza already dead on arrival?
With 85% of Gaza destroyed, is linking reconstruction aid to disarmament holding millions of civilians hostage to politics?
Can the Northern Ireland peace model—disarmament after a deal—break the deadly 'chicken and egg' stalemate in Gaza?
The Disarmament Dilemma: Inside the June 2026 Cairo Talks and Gaza’s Unresolved Crisis
Overview
As of June 2026, the Cairo talks are stalled by a deep impasse, with disarmament standing as the main unresolved issue. Israel insists that Hamas’s military strength blocks any progress, demanding disarmament before moving forward. In contrast, Gaza’s armed factions believe they must keep their defenses, especially as humanitarian conditions worsen and accusations of ceasefire violations continue from both sides. The absence of Fatah from negotiations highlights fragmented Palestinian representation, making unity and agreement even harder to achieve. This deadlock, driven by security concerns and mistrust, leaves Gaza’s future uncertain and the humanitarian crisis unresolved.