The Palestinian militant group Hamas has dismissed recent reports suggesting it is ready to disarm, labeling them as “false and inaccurate.”
In an official statement, Hamas reaffirmed that “resistance and its armed wings are a legitimate national and legal right as long as the occupation continues.” The group emphasized that this right is recognized by international laws and norms and “cannot be relinquished except through the full restoration of our national rights—first and foremost, the establishment of an independent, fully sovereign Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.”
The statement was issued in response to remarks by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, who had claimed that Hamas showed willingness to disarm.
Hamas also criticized Witkoff’s recent visit to an aid center in Gaza, calling it “a premeditated show” and accusing him of attempting to “polish the image of the occupation.”
“The trip was designed to deceive public opinion and to provide Israel with political cover for its campaign of starvation and the continued killing of children and defenseless civilians in the Gaza Strip,” Hamas said.
On the other hand, Witkoff, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), said he had spent over five hours in Gaza. He explained that the purpose of his visit was to provide former President Donald Trump with “a clear understanding of the humanitarian situation and to help craft a plan to deliver food and medical aid to the people of Gaza.”
