Hamas Maintains Stance on Disarmament Amid Stalled Gaza Ceasefire Talks

Hamas has stated it will not lay down its arms unless a fully sovereign Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital is established, reaffirming its position in response to ongoing ceasefire negotiations with Israel. The group issued this statement after remarks attributed to US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff suggested Hamas had shown willingness to disarm. Disarmament remains a key Israeli demand in the stalled talks aimed at ending the conflict and securing the release of hostages held in Gaza.

Recent days have seen increased calls from Arab governments for Hamas to disarm and relinquish control of Gaza, following announcements from several Western countries, including France and Canada, of plans to recognize a Palestinian state. The UK has indicated it may do the same if certain conditions are not met by September. Despite this, Hamas emphasized it would not give up its "right to resistance and its weapons" without the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt Gen Eyal Zamir warned that fighting in Gaza would continue if negotiations did not quickly result in the release of hostages. The family of hostage Evyatar David, shown in a recently released Hamas video, accused the group of mistreatment and urged Israeli and US authorities to intensify efforts to secure his release.

US envoy Steve Witkoff visited Israel amid growing pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government over worsening humanitarian conditions in Gaza. UN agencies have reported widespread starvation in the territory and have attributed responsibility to Israel, which controls the entry of supplies. Israel has denied restricting aid deliveries, stating there is "no starvation" in Gaza.

Witkoff met with families of Israeli hostages in Tel Aviv and called for peace efforts to prioritize ending the conflict and bringing all hostages home, rather than pursuing a partial deal. During his visit, he also inspected an aid site in southern Gaza. According to the United Nations, at least 1,373 Palestinians have died seeking food since late May, with most fatalities occurring near aid distribution sites. The UN reports that many were killed by Israeli military action, while Israel claims Hamas is responsible for unrest at these locations and denies intentionally targeting civilians.