Palestinian group rejects reported feedback by US particular envoy Steve Witkoff that it’s ‘ready to be demilitarised’.
Hamas has denied claims it expressed a willingness to disarm throughout Gaza ceasefire negotiations with Israel, stressing that it has “nationwide and authorized” rights to confront the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory.
In an announcement on Saturday, the Palestinian group rejected current remarks purportedly made by United States President Donald Trump’s particular envoy to the Center East, Steve Witkoff, throughout a gathering with kin of Israeli captives held in Gaza.
Citing a recording of the talks, Israeli information outlet Haaretz reported that the US envoy advised the households that Hamas stated it was “ready to be demilitarised”.
However Hamas stated in its assertion that the group’s proper to resistance “can’t be relinquished till our full nationwide rights are restored, foremost amongst them the institution of a completely sovereign, unbiased Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital”.
Witkoff met the Israeli captives’ households in Tel Aviv on Saturday, someday after he visited a US and Israeli-backed help distribution website run by the controversial GHF in Gaza.
Greater than 1,300 Palestinians have been killed attempting to get meals at GHF-run websites because the group started working within the bombarded Palestinian enclave in Might, the United Nations stated earlier this week.
Hamas had earlier slammed Witkoff’s go to as a “staged present” geared toward deceptive the general public concerning the scenario in Gaza, the place Israel’s blockade has spurred a hunger disaster and fuelled world condemnation.
However the Trump administration has stood firmly behind GHF regardless of the killings and rising world criticism of the group’s operations in Gaza. In June, Washington introduced that it permitted $30m to help GHF.
Witkoff’s feedback on disarmament come amid a widening worldwide push to recognise a Palestinian state amid the scenes of hunger in Gaza.
The UK introduced at a two-day United Nations convention in New York this week that it could comply with France in recognising a Palestinian state in September.
Echoing an earlier assertion by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Overseas Secretary David Lammy stated London would proceed with recognition if Israel didn’t meet sure situations, together with implementing a ceasefire in Gaza.
The UN assembly additionally noticed 17 international locations, plus the European Union and the Arab League, again a seven-page textual content on reviving a two-state resolution to the battle.
The textual content referred to as on Hamas to “finish its rule in Gaza and hand over its weapons to the Palestinian Authority, with worldwide engagement and help, in step with the target of a sovereign and unbiased Palestinian State”.