VIDEOS: Palestinian groups in Lebanon begin handing over weapons to army under new disarmament plan

Lebanon has launched a phased program to bring weapons inside Palestinian refugee camps under state control, with the first transfers beginning Thursday in Beirut’s Burj al-Barajneh camp, according to officials.

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam’s office confirmed that the initial batch of arms will be turned over to the Lebanese army. Further deliveries from Burj al-Barajneh and other camps are expected in the coming weeks, the statement noted, quoting Ramzi Damaschkieh, the head of the Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue Committee.

The initiative was agreed during a May 21 meeting between Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, which laid out a timetable and framework for the gradual disarmament of Palestinian factions across Lebanon’s camps.

The effort forms part of a broader government plan to consolidate all weapons under the command of the Lebanese military before the end of 2025. The move, however, has faced strong opposition from Hezbollah, which has denounced the initiative as politically motivated and shaped by pressure from 'Israel' and the United States.

The disarmament process comes against the backdrop of ongoing tensions with 'Israel'. On October 8, 2023, Israel launched a military campaign in Lebanon that escalated into full-scale war by September 2024, leaving more than 4,000 dead and injuring around 17,000.

Although a ceasefire was reached in November, 'Israeli' forces have continued near-daily strikes in southern Lebanon, claiming to target Hezbollah positions. Under the truce agreement, Israel was meant to complete its withdrawal from Lebanese territory by January 26, but the deadline was extended to February 18 after Tel Aviv refused to comply. 'Israeli' forces still occupy five outposts along the border.

Lebanese authorities say the current handover process is a critical step toward restoring state sovereignty and reducing the presence of unauthorized arms across the country’s volatile refugee camps.