Hamas firmly rejected claims that it expressed readiness to disarm during Gaza ceasefire negotiations with Israel.
Responding to remarks attributed to U.S. President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, Hamas stated, “The resistance and its weapons are a national and legal right as long as the [Israeli] occupation persists.” The group emphasised it will not relinquish arms until a “fully sovereign, independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital” is established.
Hamas has rejected reports that it expressed a willingness to disarm during Gaza ceasefire negotiations with Israel, stressing that it has a “national and legal” right to confront the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory https://t.co/XXlJ0nJ4m4 pic.twitter.com/49WGNvrBJS
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) August 2, 2025Witkoff met with families of Israeli hostages in Tel Aviv on August 2, after visiting a U.S.- and Israeli-backed aid site operated by the controversial GHF in Gaza.
Read: Trump Envoy Reveals Gaza Peace Plan in Meeting with Hostage Families
According to Haaretz, Witkoff asserted that Hamas was ready to demilitarise, a claim that Hamas refuted. The group also criticised Witkoff’s visit to the aid site as a “staged show” amid the ongoing starvation crisis in Gaza, which has been worsened by an Israeli blockade. The UN reported over 1,300 Palestinian deaths at GHF aid sites since May 2025, despite the U.S. approving $30 million in aid for the group in June.
Hamas rejects US claims of disarmament talks, reaffirms right to armed resistance. Meanwhile, Netanyahu reportedly weighs annexing parts of Gaza if ceasefire fails, raising fears of a new escalation.https://t.co/OKgXWffAJ0
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) August 2, 2025The controversy comes as global support for recognising a Palestinian state continues to grow. During a UN conference in New York, the UK indicated that it may follow France in recognising Palestine this September if Israel does not meet the conditions for a ceasefire, according to Foreign Secretary David Lammy. A seven-page document, endorsed by 17 countries, the EU, and the Arab League, called on Hamas to end its governance in Gaza and to disarm in favour of the Palestinian Authority in order to further a two-state solution.
