Hamas rejects international guardianship over Gaza
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- Hamas rejects any international guardianship over Gaza’s internal affairs.
- Any foreign force must be limited to border duties to stop Israeli aggression and ceasefire violations.
A senior Hamas official renewed the movement’s rejection of any form of external guardianship over the Gaza Strip, stressing that any international force deployed to the territory must be limited strictly to border-related tasks.
Osama Hamdan, a senior leader Hamas, said any foreign troops should focus solely on preventing 'Israeli' aggression and stopping ceasefire violations, without intervening in Gaza’s internal governance.
Response to Indonesia deployment reports
Hamdan made the remarks during an interview with Al Jazeera Mubasher’s evening program, responding to reports that Indonesia is considering sending several thousand troops as part of a stabilization force to Gaza.
He said Hamas had communicated directly with the Indonesian government, conveying that “any international forces must adhere to a neutral role on the borders and must not take positions that contradict the will of the Palestinian people or serve as a substitute for the Israeli occupation.”
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Hamdan added that Indonesian officials clearly assured Hamas they would not participate in implementing any 'Israeli' agenda inside Gaza, and that their role, if any, would be limited to separating Palestinians from occupation forces and preventing aggression, without interference in civilian affairs.
Position on resistance weapons
Addressing a New York Times report on a draft proposal related to disarming the resistance, Hamdan said Palestinian weapons are directly linked to the existence of the occupation.
“The resistance since 1917 has been committed to reclaiming land and achieving national liberation,” he said, adding that resistance weapons are legitimate under international law and the will of the Palestinian people.
He stressed that such weapons would not be relinquished until the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.
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Hamdan dismissed talk of freezing weapons or long-term truces as political debate rather than official Hamas policy, saying resistance arms are a national and legitimate right that cannot be bargained away.
Ceasefire terms and 'Israeli' obstruction
Hamdan said Palestinian resistance factions, including Hamas, had agreed to the first four points of a proposal presented by US President Donald Trump in Sharm el-Sheikh. These included ending the war, a prisoner exchange, the entry of humanitarian aid, and Israeli withdrawal to the so-called yellow line, with a promise of full withdrawal to Gaza’s borders later.
He accused the Israeli occupation of obstructing implementation, blocking medical aid, hindering the rehabilitation of hospitals and municipal institutions, and preventing the entry of the agreed administrative committee despite international consensus on its formation.
Netanyahu criticism
Commenting on 'Israeli' Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s reported inclusion in the International Peace Council, Hamdan described the move as “one of the farces of our time.”
He said Netanyahu is wanted by the International Criminal Court on charges related to genocidal crimes, arguing that his acceptance into such a body raises serious questions about the meaning of peace in the region.
Regional tensions and mediation
Hamdan accused 'Israel' of being the primary source of regional instability, saying it pressures the United States to confront Iran and seeks to expand its occupation across several Arab countries.
He said Hamas continues to coordinate with mediators in Doha, Cairo, and Ankara to secure clear understandings on implementing agreements and achieving internal Palestinian stability, amid what he described as Israeli efforts to maintain control over occupied Palestinian land.
On reports of a Palestinian constitution being issued by decree from President Mahmoud Abbas, Hamdan said Hamas would announce its official position later, stressing the issue concerns political legitimacy and the need for a genuine democratic system based on free power transfer, equality, and transparency.
