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Khalil Al-Hayya, Hamas’ leader in Gaza, said Saturday that they are prepared to hand over their weapons to a future governing state once the Israeli occupation ends, as political and diplomatic efforts intensify ahead of the second phase of the U.S.-brokered Gaza plan.
Al-Hayya stressed that handing over Hamas’ weapons would only be possible once the Israeli occupation comes to an end.
He said in a statement to the media that Hamas’ weapons are “linked to the existence of occupation and aggression, and if the occupation ends, these weapons will be handed over to the state.”
His office later clarified that he was referring to “a future, sovereign Palestinian state,” according to Agence France-Presse.
Al-Hayya added that “the issue of weapons is still under discussion with the factions and mediators, and the agreement is still in its early stages.
"We would accept international forces as separation and monitoring troops to oversee the borders and follow up on the ceasefire in Gaza.”
This comes as attention shifts to the second phase of the U.S.-brokered Gaza agreement.
A Western diplomat and an Arab official revealed on Friday that an international body tasked with administering the Gaza Strip is expected to be announced before the end of the year.
The two officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, added that the body, known as the “Peace Council” to be chaired by U.S. President Donald Trump, will include about 12 other leaders from the Middle East and the West. It would administer Gaza under a United Nations mandate for two years, renewable, according to the Associated Press.
They also revealed that a committee of Palestinian technocrats will be announced to take charge of Gaza’s day-to-day administration after the war.
They noted that the plan is expected to be announced at the end of 2025 during a meeting between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
As for the international stabilization force, which several countries are expected to join to help ensure security in Gaza, the Arab official explained that discussions are still underway regarding which states will participate.
However, he expected the deployment to begin in the first quarter of 2026.
He also noted that negotiations between Israel and Hamas over the second phase will begin soon but anticipated they would be difficult, particularly concerning Hamas’ weapons and Israel’s withdrawal from parts of Gaza.
The second phase of Trump’s plan includes the reconstruction of the devastated Gaza Strip, although sources of funding have not yet been definitively determined.
Hamas announced on Friday that it had agreed to the formation of a technocratic committee to govern Gaza, reiterating that it does not insist on retaining control of the territory.
It had previously stated that the issue of weapons is being discussed within a national framework and through internal dialogue.
It is worth noting that several Arab countries have recently voiced concern over delays in moving to the second phase of the agreement, calling for the reopening of the Rafah crossing from both sides and rejecting any displacement of Palestinians.
Meanwhile, many Palestinians have expressed fears that Israel may oppose the establishment of a Palestinian state, especially since the U.S. plan does not explicitly address this point.
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