Moderate Arab officials and influential Palestinian figures have recently urged Hamas to consider disarming in the Gaza Strip. They caution that the group may not survive Israel’s ongoing offensive in the region. The appeal, reported by Channel 12 news, did not specify whether the Palestinian figures involved were part of the leadership in Ramallah or elsewhere.
According to the report, Hamas leaders have been advised that Israel is likely to defeat the organization, and it would be in their best interest to lay down arms to prevent further destruction in Gaza. The suggestion was also made that, if disarmed, Hamas could potentially join the Palestine Liberation Organization as a purely political entity.
The report highlighted a meeting between two Fatah members and Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Qatar, hinting that the discussion may have included the disarmament proposal. However, Hamas has not provided any response to the matter so far.
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The report did not mention any involvement of Hamas’s Gaza leader, Yahya Sinwar in these discussions. Sinwar, known for his militant stance, is considered a key figure in the organization.
Israel has been actively pursuing an offensive against Hamas in Gaza for the past 47 days, following Hamas’s attack on southern Israel on October 7. A temporary truce between Israel and Hamas is set to begin on Thursday, with the release of hostages expected. However, Israeli leaders have emphasized their intention to resume the campaign against Hamas once the truce expires. The IDF plans to direct the civilian population away from the anticipated ground offensive in southern Gaza to minimize civilian casualties.
The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry claims a high number of casualties. Still, these figures cannot be independently verified and do not differentiate between civilians and Hamas operatives or the causes of death.
