Despite the “tangible progress” reported by Hamas in the Cairo talks aimed at developing the understandings of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, a well-informed source predicted that this would be met with rejection from the right-wing Israeli government.
The source told Al-Quds Al-Arabi that the approaches presented by the resistance factions during the meetings that discussed the issue of “resistance weapons” over the past two days were intended to thwart Israel, which is deliberately violating and undermining the ceasefire agreement and evading its obligations under the first phase.
This comes as the Israeli occupation army continues its violations of the ceasefire agreement. The Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip announced on Wednesday the martyrdom of 3 Palestinians and the injury of 5 others during the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of martyrs of the Israeli genocide since October 2023 to 72,991 martyrs.
The source indicated that the agreement, presented in the name of US President Donald Trump and comprising several phases, the first of which was implemented on October 10th following its signing in the Egyptian city of Sharm El-Sheikh, explicitly stipulated the full and sequential implementation of all phases. However, Israel refused to implement most of the provisions of the first phase, persisting in its killing and destruction in Gaza and expanding its control over the territory.
The source confirmed that Israel, with the support of the "Peace Council," bypassed the implementation steps and sought to proceed directly to the second phase. It insisted on the clause concerning "resistance weapons" and presented an "unsatisfactory" formula to the resistance factions, demanding that the weapons be handed over to the "international stabilization force" established by the "Peace Council," without any commitment to withdraw from Gaza or implement the agreement's provisions.
On Wednesday, the Cairo talks resumed, with the Hamas delegation meeting with the mediators, followed by further meetings with the other factions. The aim was to reach common ground on all the points previously included in the "Peace Council" proposal, the wording of which had been objected to by the resistance factions.
The informed source stated that the Palestinian factions meeting in Cairo presented a formula based on "monopolizing weapons" under the control of the governing authority in Gaza. The mechanism for handing over weapons would be to this authority, which would oversee the civil and security administration of the Strip, and not to an "international stabilization force." This would be done according to a clear mechanism that includes Israel's implementation of the ceasefire understandings.
The source emphasized that Israel, through its positions that contradict the terms of the agreement, is perpetuating the disputes and hindering the task of achieving stability and maintaining the ceasefire in Gaza. The source indicated that understandings were reached on most of the points discussed in the plan previously presented by the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Nikolay Mladenov, to Hamas and the resistance factions during the talks that began last Saturday. The most important issue, however, remains: the "weapons file." The resistance factions presented their proposal to overcome the disagreements surrounding this issue, after rejecting the demand for "disarmament" as presented in Mladenov's plan. However, expectations indicate that Israel will place obstacles in the way of this, especially since it wants to implement the "disarmament of the resistance" before moving on to the second phase of the agreement.
He pointed out that the resistance factions, in their proposal, link the issue of weapons to an Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and to binding commitments guaranteeing this withdrawal and ensuring the end of all the war's repercussions, including the commencement of relief and reconstruction programs.
The Palestinian Information Center website, which is close to Hamas, also reported that the weapons issue was on the table as part of a broader agreement, and that information reveals the mediators' efforts are focused on redrafting clauses eight and nine of the draft Mladenov Plan, which are directly related to this sensitive issue.
Hazem Qassem, Hamas spokesperson, stated that his movement and the Palestinian factions dealt positively and flexibly with the proposals put forward by the mediators during the meetings held in Cairo, which pertain to the mechanisms for implementing the plan to end the war in the Gaza Strip and managing the next phase.
The Palestinian Information Center website quoted Qassem as saying that "the consultations held with the participation of mediators from Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey led to approaches," and he described these approaches as "acceptable" to the various parties participating in the meetings.
Qassem called on the mediators and guarantor states to exert pressure on the Israeli occupation to halt its violations of the ceasefire agreement and adhere to its terms.
He stated, “Implementing any political plan to end the war requires completing the remaining aspects of the first phase of the agreement, ceasing the ongoing violations, and engaging with the proposals for the second phase in a way that ensures the continuation of the de-escalation process.” He emphasized that Israeli violations of the agreement have resulted in the deaths of approximately one thousand Palestinians since the ceasefire came into effect.
He added, “The responsibility now rests with the Israeli occupation, along with the Special Coordinating Council for the Middle East Peace Process, represented by its Executive Director, Nikolay Mladenov, to move forward with implementing the proposed understandings.”
