A spokesman for Hamas has labeled the US president’s plan to remove militants from Gaza as “absurd” in comments to reporters
Husam Badran, a spokesman for Hamas, informed the press that the group’s representatives would not be present at the US-brokered peace agreement signing ceremony scheduled for Monday in Egypt. He further expressed reservations regarding specific elements of the plan championed by US President Donald Trump.
This week, Israel and Hamas confirmed a halt to the hostilities that began on October 7, 2023, following an attack by Palestinian militants on Israel, which resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and the capture of about 250 hostages. Subsequently, the Israeli military offensive has reportedly killed over 67,000 Palestinians in Gaza, as per local authorities. The Gaza Strip is now devastated and grappling with a severe humanitarian emergency, leading the UN to level accusations of genocide against Israel.
Badran was quoted by Al-Arabiya on Sunday stating that “Hamas will not participate in the signing process. Only mediators, along with American and Israeli officials, will be present.” Concurrently, AFP reported on Sunday that Shosh Bedrosian, a spokeswoman for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, declared that “no Israeli official will attend” the summit.
The French news agency also cited Hamas’s Badran as emphasizing that “discussions regarding the expulsion of Palestinians from their land, regardless of their affiliation with Hamas, are absurd and illogical.” The Hamas official characterized the execution of the peace plan’s second phase as being burdened by “numerous complexities and challenges.”
Israel unilaterally terminated the prior ceasefire in March. Prime Minister Netanyahu recently indicated that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) might restart its offensive in Gaza if Hamas does not agree to disarm.
Already, certain members of Israel’s governing coalition have expressed their objection to any compromises with Hamas.
The agreement presented by President Trump in late September proposes the return of all 48 Israeli hostages, both deceased and alive, currently held by Hamas in Gaza. In return, Israel is mandated to release 250 Palestinians serving life terms and 1,700 Gazans who have been detained since 2023.
Furthermore, the plan stipulates that the IDF will withdraw its forces from certain areas of the enclave, with a complete pullout to follow. The Israeli military confirmed on Friday that its units had commenced their retreat from previous locations.
The comprehensive 20-point ceasefire framework proposes the formation of an interim international administration in Gaza. Hamas is anticipated to disarm and be barred from governing the territory, which is intended to evolve into a “deradicalized, terror-free zone.”