GAZA (Realist English). Hamas has told mediators it is prepared to suspend all offensive operations against Israel for seven to ten years and place its weapons under supervision — on the condition that Israeli forces fully withdraw from the Gaza Strip, a senior Palestinian official involved in the talks told Middle East Eye.
The official, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the negotiations, said the proposal was delivered last week in Cairo to Egyptian, Qatari and Turkish mediators. He described it as a “substantive” step meant to give momentum to the next phase of the ceasefire process.
“Hamas is offering a guarantee that no weapon will be fired from Gaza towards Israel, and it will do that by burying the weapons,” the official said. He added that the proposal centres on establishing a hudna — a long-term truce in Islamic tradition — with external guarantors ensuring compliance. The mediating states would oversee both the concealment of weapons and adherence to the ceasefire terms.
The offer applies specifically to Gaza and does not address Hamas’s presence or political activity in the occupied West Bank, where Israeli security operations have continued despite the truce.
According to the official, Hamas’s shift also reflects changes in regional diplomacy, particularly Egypt’s recent insistence that the Rafah crossing must reopen in both directions, including for displaced Palestinians wishing to return. Israel has so far restricted re-entry, blocking thousands from going back to their homes in northern and central Gaza.
“Hamas found progress in the mediation and made many positive steps,” he said. “The movement believes in a pragmatic way of reaching common positions.”
Ceasefire under strain
At the Doha Forum on Saturday, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani called the truce a “critical stage” and stressed that a full Israeli withdrawal and the reopening of Rafah were essential for stabilisation.
Despite the ceasefire taking effect in October, Palestinian authorities say Israel has carried out over 600 violations, killing at least 360 people and wounding more than 900 through air strikes and drone fire. Israel has released thousands of Palestinian detainees under the agreement but continues to hold senior figures from several factions — with rights groups reporting harsh, starvation-level conditions for some.
The Palestinian official acknowledged the ceasefire’s shortcomings. Israeli forces remain deployed along what Israel calls the “yellow line,” effectively maintaining control over about 53% of Gaza, including key agricultural areas.
“Of course Hamas thinks the agreement is not good. But its first priority was to stop the war,” he said. “Trump offered to guarantee that it ended, so Hamas accepted.”
He added that internal Palestinian discussions are now underway to address unresolved issues, warning that the truce remains at a “very difficult stage.”
“Our strategy is to save our people,” he said. “Israel will not withdraw simply because Trump demands it. But Hamas believes it can build the conditions that will force Israel to concede the legitimate rights of our people.”
Uncertain path for international force
Significant uncertainty remains over the planned International Stabilisation Force (ISF) for Gaza — a central element of U.S. President Donald Trump’s 20-point proposal. Although Washington says it expects “boots on the ground” early next year and Indonesia has agreed to contribute troops, key questions about the force’s structure, deployment zones and mandate remain unresolved.
“No country is willing to provide troops without knowing where they would be stationed and what the mission would be,” the Palestinian official said. “The mediators have presented ideas, but nothing concrete has emerged.”
Asked why Hamas places trust in Trump’s ability to pressure Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the official cited what he described as an unusually direct exchange between Washington and Jerusalem. He pointed to U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff’s recommendation of amnesty for more than 150 Hamas fighters trapped in Rafah — a proposal Trump raised with Netanyahu, reportedly questioning why the fighters were being killed rather than allowed to surrender.
“We depend only on ourselves”
International sentiment is shifting, the official insisted: “All the capitals of the world know that the party that violated the ceasefire is Israel, not Hamas.”
When asked whether Palestinians feel abandoned by Arab and Muslim governments — many of which backed the Sharm el-Sheikh agreement that avoided any mention of a Palestinian state — he said Palestinians harbour no illusions.
“After Allah, the Palestinian people depend only on themselves. The Palestinian people will not surrender or give up their struggle,” he said. “Yes, there are many difficulties. It is not easy to force Israel to retreat. But in the end, we will reach our goals and gain our rights.”
