Hamas Open To 'Freezing Or Storing' Weapons — Test For Fragile Gaza Ceasefire

A senior Hamas official said on Sunday the group is willing to discuss "freezing or storing" its weapons as negotiators try to preserve a fragile ceasefire with Israel. The remarks, made to The Associated Press in Qatar by Bassem Naim, come as diplomats and mediators race to finalize details of a US-brokered agreement.

Key Proposals And Sticking Points

The ceasefire accord, reportedly a 20-point plan, envisions a second phase in which Hamas would relinquish or otherwise render its weapons unusable under the supervision of independent monitors as part of Gaza's demilitarization. Naim said Hamas is "very open minded" about options, including "freezing or storing or laying down" arms, carried out with Palestinian guarantees that the weapons would not be used during the truce.

"We can talk about freezing or storing or laying down, with the Palestinian guarantees, not to use it at all during this ceasefire time or truce," Naim told the AP.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel is "very close" to moving to the second phase. Yet crucial details remain unresolved — most notably which countries would contribute to an international security force intended to oversee implementation, and whether Hamas's proposals would satisfy Israel's demand for disarmament.

Limits On International Forces

Naim signaled that Hamas would accept a UN or international presence near Gaza's borders to monitor the truce, report violations and help prevent escalations. However, he stressed any foreign deployment should have constrained authority and must not be authorized to operate widely inside Palestinian territories.

"We are welcoming a UN force to be near the borders, supervising the ceasefire agreement, reporting about violations, preventing any kind of escalations," Naim said. "But we don't accept that these forces have any kind of mandates authorizing them to do or to be implemented inside the Palestinian territories."

Regional Concerns

At the Doha Forum, representatives from Qatar, Egypt and Norway warned the ceasefire remains precarious and that negotiators are at a critical juncture. Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani described recent progress as a pause rather than a completed settlement.

The coming days are likely to focus on whether international monitors and a security force can be agreed upon and whether the parties can bridge the gap between "freezing" weapons and the full disarmament Israel seeks.