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Article by Middle East Eye reporting that Hamas has rebuffed a proposal by the US-backed Board of Peace to disarm the group, citing ongoing Israeli violations of the first phase of the ceasefire. Palestinian sources with direct knowledge of the talks say Hamas views the disarmament plan as a 'trap' designed to ignite civil war in the Gaza Strip and destabilize Palestinian society, fearing the proposal would leave Palestinians defenseless while allowing Israeli-backed armed groups to operate freely. The military wing of Hamas, the Qassam Brigades, considers disarmament 'collective suicide.' Hamas officials insist that Israel must comply fully with the first phase of the ceasefire, including allowing 600 aid trucks daily, before any discussion of Phase Two. The US-brokered ceasefire has resulted in the killing of 72,000 Palestinians and left Gaza's 2.3 million population in severe humanitarian crisis. Recommended for researchers studying the political and military dynamics of the disarmament question within the October 2025 ceasefire framework, providing Palestinian political analysis of why disarmament talks are viewed as a trap and what conditions Hamas and other factions have set for any further negotiation.
