Cairo: Hamas confirmed on Friday that it is prepared to begin disarming as part of a deal announced by US President Donald Trump, provided Israel ends its military strikes and withdraws from Gaza.
The group also said that surrendering its heavy weapons, which would take place at a later stage of the process, would be contingent on the creation of a Palestinian state — a condition that Israel's current government has firmly rejected.
Underscoring the challenges facing the proposed disarmament, a series of Israeli airstrikes struck Gaza again on Friday, killing at least one Palestinian and injuring at least four others, including a child, according to officials at hospitals near the attack sites. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Israel has not officially commented on the Hamas proposal, which is linked to a US-brokered ceasefire announced last October. The agreement called for Hamas to disarm and hand over power to an independent Palestinian administration, while Israel was to withdraw from Gaza and an International Stabilisation Force was to be deployed.
However, progress has stalled, with Israel insisting that any further steps depend on Hamas disarming, while Hamas has accused Israel of violating the agreement by continuing to carry out regular strikes in Gaza.
The war in Gaza began after the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed around 1,200 people and saw 251 others taken hostage. Israel's retaliatory military campaign in Gaza has killed more than 73,000 Palestinians, including those killed since the ceasefire, according to Gaza's Health Ministry.