Summary
- Hamas
says it will not disarm unless an independent Palestinian state with
Jerusalem as its capital is established. - The
statement follows failed indirect ceasefire talks with Israel on a truce
and hostage release. - Hamas
rejects demands from the U.S., Israel, and Arab and Western states to give
up arms and let the Palestinian Authority govern Gaza. - The
statement responds to U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff’s claim Hamas was willing
to disarm, which Hamas denies. - Hamas
says armed resistance is a legal right until Palestinian national rights,
including statehood, are restored. - Israel
sees Hamas disarmament as vital to ending the Gaza conflict; Netanyahu
warns a Palestinian state could threaten Israel’s security. - The
statement comes amid growing global support for Palestinian statehood and
calls for Hamas to hand over weapons to the Palestinian Authority. - Heavy
fighting and a humanitarian crisis continue in Gaza, with Israeli strikes
killing 18 people and over 60,000 Palestinians dead since October 2023.
In a new statement issued on Saturday, August 2, 2025,
Hamas declared it will not disarm unless an independent Palestinian state is
established with Jerusalem as its capital, sharply responding to calls from the
international community for the group to hand over its weapons and allow the
Palestinian Authority to take control of the Gaza Strip.
What Did Hamas Say About Disarmament and Statehood?
As reported by Reuters, Hamas stated, “Our armed resistance
… can only be abandoned through the complete restoration of our national
rights, primarily the creation of an independent and fully sovereign
Palestinian state with Jerusalem designated as its capital”. The group
reaffirmed that resistance and its armed capabilities are a “legitimate
national and legal right as long as the occupation continues,” and would not be
given up “except through the full restoration of our national rights – first
and foremost, the establishment of an independent, fully sovereign Palestinian
state with Jerusalem as its capital,” as cited by Sky News.
In its official communication, Hamas directly refuted recent
statements made by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, who claimed the group was ready to
consider disarmament, calling such reports “false”. Hamas used the
opportunity to reiterate its position and highlight what it describes as
“continued systematic killing of defenceless children and civilians in the Gaza
Strip.”
Why Did This Statement Come Now?
The statement came amid intense indirect negotiations
between Hamas and Israel, seeking a 60-day ceasefire and a deal for hostage
releases. Those talks have recently ended in deadlock, with significant gaps
remaining over Israeli military withdrawal and the handover of weapons by Hamas.
The refusal also follows a declaration signed by seventeen
nations, including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, France, the United Kingdom, and
Canada, at a high-level conference at the United Nations, demanding that Hamas
end its rule in Gaza and transfer governance and arms to the Palestinian
Authority. French and Saudi-backed arrangements called for a two-state
solution with international oversight, involving Hamas’s disarmament, which has
drawn sharp criticism from the group.
How Has Hamas Framed Its Position on Armed Resistance?
According to Israel National News, Hamas maintains that
“resistance and its weapons” are a national and legal entitlement under
international law and insists it would not give up its arms while the
“occupation persists”. The group also described the recognition of
Palestinian statehood as “the fruit of our people’s ongoing struggle.”
Speaking through their official channels and on Telegram, as
reported by Al Jazeera and Aawsat, Hamas stated, “The movement emphasized that
disarmament will not be considered unless the full rights of the Palestinian
people are restored, chief among them the establishment of a fully sovereign
Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital”.
What Is the Broader International Context?
As detailed by The Times of Israel and The New York Times,
the latest pressure on Hamas to disarm comes as Arab and Western states back
renewed pushes for a two-state solution. The joint declaration from the
conference stated:
“In the context of ending the war in Gaza, Hamas must end
its rule in Gaza and hand over its weapons to the Palestinian Authority, with
international engagement and support, in line with the objective of a sovereign
and independent Palestinian State”.
Countries including Canada have announced plans to recognize
a Palestinian state, contingent upon governance reforms and excluding Hamas
from future government. Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Netanyahu,
have criticized these moves, warning they could “reward Hamas’ conduct” and
threaten Israeli security.
How Has Israel Responded?
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly stated that
the disarmament of Hamas is a “key condition” for any resolution of the Gaza
conflict. He told Newsmax and Israel National News that “any future independent
Palestinian state” could be used to threaten Israel, arguing that Israeli
security control over Palestinian territories must remain. Netanyahu has
also condemned plans by other countries to recognize a Palestinian state as
undermining efforts to defeat Hamas and achieve lasting peace.
What Are the Ongoing Humanitarian Concerns?
As reported by Sky News and Al Jazeera, the statement from
Hamas comes amid continued fighting and a severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
On Saturday, Israeli forces reportedly killed 18 people, including several near
food distribution centers, with the overall death toll since October 2023
exceeding 60,000, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza. The
United Nations’ human rights office reports more than 859 civilian deaths near
Gaza Humanitarian Foundation sites since late May.
The latest hostilities began on October 7, 2023, when
Hamas-led militants launched an attack on Israel, killing around 1,200 people
and taking 251 hostages. About 50 hostages remain, with many believed to be
alive.
How Did Hamas React to U.S. and International Diplomatic
Moves?
According to Sky News, Hamas denounced Steve Witkoff’s visit
to an aid distribution center as “nothing more than a premeditated staged
show,” accusing it of seeking to “mislead public opinion, polish the image of
the occupation, and provide it with political cover for its starvation campaign
and continued systematic killing of defenceless children and civilians in the
Gaza Strip”.
Witkoff said the purpose of his five-hour Gaza visit was to
“give President Trump a clear understanding of the humanitarian situation and
help craft a plan to deliver food and medical aid to the people of Gaza.”
What’s Next for the Gaza Conflict and the Prospect of
Palestinian Statehood?
Indirect negotiations remain stalled, with the key sticking
points being the disarmament of Hamas and the extent of a potential Israeli
military withdrawal from Gaza. The United States, members of the European
Union, and several Arab states see the disarmament of Hamas as essential for
any move toward a two-state solution and ending the war.
Hamas’s latest statement underscores that the group is
standing firm, only prepared to lay down arms if a fully sovereign Palestinian
state, with Jerusalem as its capital, is established. This stance signals
ongoing challenges for diplomats and mediators hoping to bridge the enormous
gaps between the warring sides.
