Hamas weapons: the main obstacle to peace in Gaza
The “Peace Council” in Gaza considers that the Hamas movement constitutes the “main obstacle” to the implementation of the peace plan in the territory.
The council, established by U.S. President Donald Trump, stated in a report submitted to the United Nations Security Council and seen by AFP on Wednesday that the Palestinian Hamas movement is the “main obstacle” to implementing the second phase of the Gaza truce.
The report, submitted by the United States to the Security Council in line with a resolution adopted last November in support of the U.S. peace plan, states: “At this stage, the main obstacle to full implementation of the plan remains Hamas’s refusal to accept disarmament with a verification mechanism, its refusal to relinquish control, and its refusal to allow a genuine political transition in Gaza.”
The ceasefire in the Gaza Strip officially came into force on October 10 last year, three days after the second anniversary of the start of the 2023 war triggered by an unprecedented Hamas attack on Israel.
The first phase of the truce saw the release of the last remaining hostages held in Gaza in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails, as well as a halt to large-scale military operations, although Israel continues near-daily strikes on the territory.
However, the transition to the second phase, which includes the disarmament of Hamas and the gradual withdrawal of the Israeli army from Gaza, remains suspended.
The report, which will be presented by Peace Council representative Nikolai Mladenov at a Security Council meeting on Thursday, states that “the institutions, resources and plans are in place for the next steps.”
The nature and sequencing of these next steps will depend on decisions taken by the parties, namely whether they demonstrate the leadership required to move forward or resort to obstruction and delaying tactics.
In this context, the text calls on Security Council members to do everything in their power to encourage the disarmament of armed factions, including Hamas.
It stresses that disarmament is “essential to enable the start of reconstruction, the timely withdrawal of Israeli forces, and the establishment of a credible path toward Palestinian self-determination and statehood.”
The report also notes that since the beginning of the truce, “the guns have largely fallen silent across Gaza.”
However, it acknowledges that “violations of the ceasefire, some of them serious, continue to occur daily,” with significant humanitarian consequences, including civilian deaths, families living in fear, and obstacles to humanitarian aid delivery.
It also points out that, despite the resumption of humanitarian aid deliveries, needs in Gaza remain substantial, including shortages of medicines, and that “a large part of the population” has yet to benefit from the restoration of essential services.
