Hamas Leader Rejects Trump’s Disarmament Demand — No ‘Foreign Rule’ in Gaza
A senior Hamas leader said surrendering arms would “criminalize resistance” and vowed that Gaza would never accept “foreign domination,” openly defying President Donald Trump’s 20-point peace framework as phase two of the U.S.-brokered plan moves toward implementation.
Speaking at the 17th Al Jazeera Forum in Doha on Sunday, Khaled Mashaal – the terrorist group’s former leader and current head of its diaspora bureau – categorically rejected the core demand of Trump’s Gaza plan: disarmament linked to reconstruction and international monitoring.
Machaal rented the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led massacre in southern Israel, arguing that the attack had pushed what he called the “Palestinian cause” onto the world stage and reaffirmed the movement’s embrace of the “resistance.”
He said Palestinians “are proud” of this “resistance”, using the term as a justification for continued violence against Israelis and as an argument for preserving Hamas’ weapons.
Machaal exhorted his supporters to “go after Israel” diplomatically and politically, calling for the Jewish state to be branded a pariah that is “losing its international legitimacy,” highlighting what he described as growing changes within Western elites, academia and social media discourse.
The Doha-based terrorist leader also praised Qatar’s role, calling the country’s support for the Palestinian cause “honorable.”
Hamas is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, European Union and other governments, and Mashaal is wanted in the United States on charges of terrorism, conspiracy to murder and evading sanctions related to his role in planning the October 7 attacks.
“The criminalization of the resistance, its weapons and those who led it is something we should not accept,” accused Mashaal, insisting that armed “resistance” remains legitimate “as long as there is occupation.”
Mashaal called Hamas’ arsenal non-negotiable, arguing that any demand to dismantle it amounts to stripping Palestinians of their identity and defense, even though Hamas has publicly endorsed the broader ceasefire framework as it advances into its second phase.
Instead of disarmament, Mashaal promoted a long-term truce with Israel – lasting five to ten years – under which Hamas would simply agree not to use its weapons, with mediators such as Egypt, Qatar and Turkey serving as guarantors.
“It is a guarantee that these weapons will not be used,” he said, without committing to dismantling or handing over the terrorist group’s military infrastructure.
Mashaal also warned against the international governance mechanisms envisioned in Trump’s plan, rejecting any outside administration or stabilization forces in Gaza.
“We adhere to our national principles and reject the logic of tutelage, external intervention or the return of a mandate in any form,” he declared. “Palestinians must rule Palestinians. Gaza belongs to the people of Gaza and to Palestine. We will not accept foreign domination.”
The remarks come as the second phase of Trump’s 20-point framework for Gaza – which explicitly demands disarmament and the removal of Hamas from power – is about to begin, with the White House planning a major event next week to take the next step.
Trump has repeatedly said Hamas agreed to lay down its arms as part of the deal and warned the group that failure to do so would have serious consequences.
“If they don’t do it, they’re going to be blown away very quickly,” Trump said last month as he unveiled the Peace Council at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Mashaal’s defiance echoes his December speech in Istanbul, when he declared that “the resistance and its weapons are our honor and glory,” openly mocking disarmament provisions even as Hamas continued to participate in ceasefire negotiations.
Other senior Hamas officials have issued similar denials. In January, Musa Abu Marzouk said the terrorist group “never, for one moment,” agreed to surrender its weapons, despite U.S. claims to the contrary.
Trump’s framework ties Gaza’s reconstruction to verified demilitarization, with an International Stabilization Force and a Palestinian technocratic committee expected to take over governance once Hamas’s arsenal is dismantled and terrorist infrastructure destroyed.
Israeli officials have warned that if Hamas refuses to disarm, military operations could resume, while reconstruction and aid would only continue in areas free of terrorism.
Mashaal’s final remarks — delivered at a forum hosted by the Israeli Foreign Ministry sentenced as a platform for extremists – highlight the growing gap between Hamas’s public position and the conditions underpinning the ceasefire which is now entering its most consequential phase.
Joshua Klein is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email him at jklein@breitbart.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoshuaKlein.
