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Mashal framed Hamas’ arsenal not as a bargaining chip but as a non-negotiable pillar of its rule.
By United with Israel Staff
Senior Hamas leader Khaled Mashal made clear Sunday that the terror group has no intention of meeting U.S. demands to disarm, despite ongoing diplomatic efforts tied to phase two of President Donald Trump’s Gaza plan.
Speaking to Al Jazeera, Mashal rejected demilitarization outright, arguing that surrendering Hamas’ weapons would leave its leadership vulnerable to elimination by Israel and effectively end the organization’s grip on Gaza.
Mashal framed Hamas’ arsenal not as a bargaining chip but as a non-negotiable pillar of its rule, portraying disarmament as an attempt to render Palestinians “easy victims” of Israel. In doing so, he leaned on familiar rhetoric, invoking “resistance,” international law, and even religious justification to defend the continued existence of an armed terror organization embedded among Gaza’s civilian population.
Rather than disarm, Mashal proposed what he described as “guarantees” to the United States, coupled with a long-term ceasefire lasting anywhere from five to ten years.
Under his proposal, Hamas would retain its weapons but promise not to use them, a formulation that critics note would effectively legitimize Hamas’ military infrastructure while freezing Israel’s ability to respond decisively to future threats.
Mashal also accused Israel of seeking to strip Palestinians of weapons only to sow chaos through proxy militias, a claim that deflects from Hamas’ own record of internal repression and armed control.
Mashal further insisted that reconstruction and humanitarian relief in Gaza must proceed without any requirement for Hamas to disarm, calling for an “environment” that prevents renewed war while leaving the group’s military capabilities intact.
The comments stand in direct opposition to recent statements from Trump, who has repeatedly insisted that Hamas must disarm or face destruction. “They won’t be around anymore,” Trump said last week if the group refuses to give up its weapons. In another remark, he dismissed claims that Hamas would never disarm, saying, “It looks like they’re gonna disarm.”
Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff echoed that assessment, telling the president the process was already underway. “They’re going to demilitarize. They will, because they have no choice,” Witkoff said. “They’re going to give it up. They’re going to give up the AK-47s.”
Mashal’s remarks underscore the central gap in the current diplomatic track: while Washington speaks openly about demilitarization, Hamas continues to signal that any deal it accepts will be designed to preserve its weapons, its power, and its ability to threaten Israel in the future.
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