Hamas’ Weapons: The Most Critical Question Remains Unanswered
The International Peace Council and a number of observers believe that Hamas’ decision to dissolve its governmental committee in the Gaza Strip will remain incomplete as long as it is not accompanied by a commitment to disarm the movement.
On Monday, Hamas announced the dissolution of its governmental committee in Gaza without addressing the issue of relinquishing its weapons in the territory.
According to observers, the movement’s failure to mention disarmament significantly limits the significance of the move.
In this regard, the International Peace Council, chaired by U.S. President Donald Trump, stated on its account on the social media platform X: “We have taken note of today’s announcement regarding the dissolution of the ‘Emergency Committee’ in Gaza.”
The Council added: “Ultimately, our assessment will be based on actions rather than promises in addressing the essential needs of Gaza’s population.”
It continued: “The decisions must comprehensively address the requirements set out in the roadmap for governance, security, and the political transition in Gaza.”
The Council further stated: “We look forward to the successful conclusion of discussions on this roadmap, including the implementation mechanisms required to enable the National Committee for Gaza Administration to assume full governing authority.”
The International Peace Council emphasized that “the fundamental principle remains one authority, one law, and one weapon. This means that all weapons must be unified under the control of the National Committee for Gaza Administration, as stipulated in the Comprehensive Gaza Peace Plan and United Nations Security Council Resolution 2803.”
The Council also stressed that “a genuine transfer of authority must enable the National Committee for Gaza Administration to exercise its mandate independently, including making the administrative and governance decisions entrusted to it.”
The roadmap presented last May by the High Representative for Gaza, Nikolay Mladenov, states that “the objective is not merely to preserve the ceasefire, but to move Gaza beyond the cycle of war and humanitarian collapse toward recovery, reconstruction, and Palestinian self-governance.”
The document further states that “Gaza cannot recover while armed groups continue to function as governing authorities.”
It stipulates that “only duly authorized Palestinian institutions shall exercise security authority inside Gaza; only authorized personnel shall carry weapons; armed groups shall cease military activities; and governance and security structures shall be unified under a single civilian authority.”
The roadmap proposes “a gradual disarmament process led by Palestinians and internationally verified according to an agreed timetable. Weapons will not be transferred to Israel. Instead, they will be handed over to Palestinian institutions operating under the authority of the National Committee for Gaza Administration, subject to international oversight arrangements.”
It also directly links Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza to the verified implementation of the phased disarmament process and the deployment of an international stabilization force.
The roadmap further emphasizes that “major reconstruction and financing efforts cannot advance sustainably in areas where parallel armed structures remain active or instability persists.”
To date, Hamas has not accepted the roadmap, which is built around four key pillars: disarmament, Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, reconstruction, and the transfer of day-to-day governance to the National Committee for Gaza Administration.
Hamas has maintained military control over the Gaza Strip since mid-2007 and has consistently rejected efforts aimed at ending its military dominance.
The Palestinian Authority has not yet issued an official response to Hamas’ decision.
Palestinian sources said that “the dissolution of the governmental committee is a step in the right direction, but it remains incomplete as long as it is not accompanied by a clear disarmament process leading to the principle of one authority, one law, and one legitimate armed force.”
They added: “We hope this step will pave the way for the disarmament process and the transfer of weapons to the Palestinian Authority.”
The same sources stated that “mediators’ discussions with Hamas are ongoing, and we hope they will produce the necessary outcomes to remove Israel’s stated justifications and pave the way for ending its occupation of the entire Gaza Strip.”
Hamas may be seeking to ease growing Arab and international pressure, particularly following renewed international attention on Gaza after progress in the U.S.-Iran file.
They also noted that the move comes ahead of the anticipated meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington in the coming days.
The observers do not rule out the possibility that the decision is also linked to increasing Israeli security reports claiming that Hamas is attempting to rebuild its capabilities inside Gaza, a development that could pave the way for another Israeli military operation in the territory.
In recent weeks, the United States has demonstrated renewed interest in achieving progress regarding the Gaza Strip.
