Hamas vows not to lay down arms after Witkoff reportedly says it’s ready to demilitarize
Accusing US of complicity in ‘genocide and starvation,’ terror group pledges to continue violent resistance ‘as long as the occupation exists,’ slams US envoy’s visit to GHF site
Hamas on Saturday said it would not disarm “as long as the occupation exists,” denying reported remarks to the contrary by US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and blasting him for visiting an aid site run by the controversial, US- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.
In a statement, Hamas vowed to continue its violent struggle, saying its right to do so was guaranteed by international law until Palestinians’ “national rights” were realized, “foremost among them… the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with full sovereignty and Jerusalem as its capital.”
The terror group also assailed Witkoff’s visit to the GHF amid reports of soaring hunger in Gaza, and that hundreds of Palestinian aid seekers have been killed near the agency’s four distribution sites in the south and center of the enclave since they started operating in mid-May.
“The American administration is a full partner in the crime of starvation and genocide,” said Hamas. It added that Witkoff’s visit was “nothing more than a pre-arranged theatrical performance” to provide Israel with “political cover for managing starvation and continuing the systematic killing of children and unarmed civilians from our people.”
The terror group called on the US “to bear its historical responsibility by lifting the cover from the crime of the century in Gaza and moving toward a ceasefire agreement that leads to ending the aggression.”
Israel has vociferously denied the claim it is committing genocide in the Gaza Strip, saying it takes steps to mitigate harm to civilians and accusing Hamas of using civilians and human shields. Jerusalem has also rejected as Hamas propaganda allegations that it is purposely starving the territory, and accuses the terror group of hijacking UN aid deliveries.
GHF, which seeks to circumvent Hamas in the distribution of aid, launched its operations in May, sidelining the longstanding UN-led humanitarian system just as Israel was beginning to ease a more than two-month aid blockade it had imposed on Gaza.
Other humanitarian groups have refused to cooperate with the GHF, saying its distribution plan puts aid-seekers in danger. Since the group began operating in Gaza, Hamas’s civil defense agency and foreign correspondents inside Gaza have reported frequent incidents in which Israeli troops have opened fire on crowds of desperate Palestinian civilians approaching GHF centers seeking food.
Israel has accused Hamas of attacking Gazan aid seekers and falsifying death tolls, but has also acknowledged that Palestinian civilians have been killed near GHF aid distribution sites. The IDF says troops have been issued new instructions following what it called “lessons learned.”
Witkoff: No ‘perfect news’ to share on ceasefire-hostage talks
Hamas’s vow to retain its arsenal came four days after an unprecedented declaration by the entire Arab League, as well as dozens of other countries, urging the terror group to disarm and condemning its onslaught of October 7, 2023, which sparked the war in Gaza.
Witkoff appeared to allude to the declaration when he told hostage families during a visit to Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square on Saturday that “some Arab countries are demanding that Hamas disarm,” according to Hebrew media accounts of his comments.
“Hamas said that it is ready to demilitarize,” Witkoff reportedly said.
At the same time, he told the hostage families that he has no “perfect news” to share with them about the Gaza ceasefire-hostage talks, which have stalled for over a week following the US and Israel’s withdrawal of their negotiators from Doha.
“I wish I had perfect news for you, but it’s a super-complicated situation and I don’t have perfect news for you,” said Witkoff, according to audio from the meeting published by Channel 12. “Do I believe we are going to be successful here ultimately? I do, for a lot of reasons and some of those I can’t discuss right now.”
Witkoff also said that US President Donald Trump was now seeking a comprehensive deal to end the war and bring all the hostages home, echoing a senior Israeli official who had told reporters Thursday that “there will be no more partial deals” with Hamas.
In the audio published by Channel 12, Witkoff could be heard saying: “No piecemeal deals… that doesn’t work.” He also reportedly called negotiations with Hamas frustrating, accusing the terror group of failing to stand by its word.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum has slammed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for repeatedly presenting proposals that would release only some of the remaining 50 hostages, 28 of whom have been confirmed dead by the IDF.
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