US Official: Disarming Hamas Will Be Accompanied by a Type of Amnesty

A US official said yesterday, Monday, that the United States believes that disarming the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in the Gaza Strip "will be accompanied by a type of amnesty for the movement," while two senior US administration officials said that Hamas was "very cooperative and fulfilled its obligations regarding the delivery of the body of the last Israeli captive."

Sources stated that the US official spoke to reporters, on condition of anonymity, on the occasion of the return of the body of the last Israeli captive in Gaza, at a time when Israel and the United States are pressuring Hamas to lay down its arms as part of a plan for the reconstruction of Gaza.

The US official stated that there is a conviction among US officials that Hamas will lay down its arms, adding, "We hear many of its members talking about laying down arms. We believe they will do so. If they do not lay down their arms, they are violating the agreement. We believe that laying down arms is accompanied by a type of amnesty."

The US official spoke about a "very good program" in Washington for disarming Hamas. Under US President Donald Trump's 20-point plan, Hamas members who commit to peaceful coexistence and lay down their weapons will be pardoned once all Israeli captives are returned.

The plan also stipulates providing safe passage for Hamas members who wish to leave Gaza to countries that will receive them.

In contrast, Hussam Badran, a member of Hamas's political bureau, stressed in a statement during the Al-Masa'iya program that the movement is committed to dealing with the issue of Palestinian weapons within national determinants and international laws, affirming that Palestinian weapons are a natural right for self-defense, and are managed internally according to the will of the Palestinian people, and not in response to the demands of the occupation or external pressures.

In a related context, two senior US administration officials said that the United States wants to reach the stage of reconstructing Gaza as soon as possible, after disarming Hamas. The officials warned the movement that US President Donald Trump "will take action against it if it wants to manipulate," according to them.

Israeli Channel 13 reported that Washington is preparing a document that includes principles for disarming Hamas, and that the document will be presented soon and will include a timeline for disarming Hamas.

Following the announcement yesterday, Monday, of the recovery of the body of the last Israeli captive in Gaza, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the second phase of the Gaza agreement is not for reconstruction, but rather for disarming the Hamas movement, indicating that it is in Israel's interest to accelerate that phase, not delay it.

On the other hand, a source in the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Minister Hakan Fidan met yesterday, Monday, with officials of the Hamas movement in the Turkish capital Ankara, and they discussed the second phase of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip and the humanitarian situation in the Strip.

The source added that Fidan briefed Hamas officials on Turkey's efforts in international forums, including the "Peace Council" headed by the US President to protect the rights of Gaza residents.