DOHA: A Hamas source close to the group’s negotiating committee told AFP on Sunday that it will not participate in post-war Gaza governance, as world leaders prepare to converge on Egypt for a Gaza peace summit.
The source’s comments come days after an Israel-Hamas ceasefire came into effect, and as both sides discuss implementing US President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan to end the war, which calls for Hamas’ disarmament and for the group not to be involved in running post-war Gaza.
“For Hamas, the governance of the Gaza Strip is a closed issue. Hamas will not participate at all in the transitional phase, which means it has relinquished control of the Strip, but it remains a fundamental part of the Palestinian fabric,” the source told AFP, requesting anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.
Unlike other more top-heavy militant organizations in the region, Hamas’ leadership has in the past been divided on key issues, including on the future administration of Gaza.
But where there appears to be no division among top members is on the question of disarmament, which the group has long described as a red line.
“Hamas agrees to a long-term truce, and for its weapons not to be used at all during this period, except in the event of an Israeli attack on Gaza,” the source said.
Another Hamas official who requested anonymity to discuss sensitive topics had earlier told AFP that Hamas’ disarmament was “out of the question.”
The first clause of Trump’s 20-point plan calls for Gaza to become a “deradicalized terror-free zone that does not pose a threat to its neighbors.”
The plan also states Hamas will not have a role in future governance of the Strip, and that its military infrastructure and weapons should be “destroyed and not rebuilt.”
Under Trump’s plan, a temporary technocratic and apolitical Palestinian committee would be charged with the day-to-day running of public services.
The source close to the negotiators said they had asked for mediator Egypt to call a meeting before the end of next week to agree on the composition of this committee, adding that “the names are almost ready.”
“Hamas, along with the other factions, have submitted 40 names. There is absolutely no veto over them, and none of them belong to Hamas,” he added.