Hamas rejects disarmament ultimatum, vows: “We will neither surrender arms nor raise white flag”
GAZA, Feb. 17 (YPA) – In a new political escalation surrounding Gaza negotiations, Mahmoud Mardawi, a senior leader in the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), confirmed the movement’s total rejection of a disarmament ultimatum mentioned by an Israeli official.
The ultimatum reportedly grants the movement 60 days to surrender all its weapons.
Mardawi asserted that the threat to resume the war in the Gaza Strip has no basis in the ongoing negotiations.
In statements to Al-Jazeera Mubasher’s “Al-Masaiya” program, Mardawi stated that the movement has not received any official notification of such a decision. He explained that statements issued by the Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hebrew media are merely political and media threats, and are not part of any agreement or understanding currently on the negotiating table.
A senior advisor to Netanyahu had previously announced that “Israel” intends to grant Hamas a 60-day window to fully disarm, threatening to resume military operations should the movement refuse.
Warning of Regional Explosion
Responding to the threat of returning to war, Mardawi warned that any military escalation following the deadline would have serious repercussions for the region. He emphasized that “the Palestinians will not surrender and will not raise the white flag.”
Mardawi added that the Israeli occupation’s policies in the West Bank and Quds (Jerusalem) represent a “religious war” rather than just a military occupation, citing the seizure of religious sites and the displacement and annexation operations aimed at altering the identity of Quds.
Rejection of Displacement and Adherence to the Land
The Hamas leader pointed out that these policies aim to push Palestinians to migrate toward neighboring countries, particularly Jordan. He stressed that this “will not be achieved because the Palestinian people remain committed to their land, neighborhoods, and villages despite the siege and ongoing killing in Gaza and the West Bank.”
Call for Palestinian Unity and an Arab Stance
Mardawi revealed that dialogue is underway between Palestinian factions, including the Palestinian Authority and Fatah, to reach a unified position against the Judaization and land seizures occurring in the West Bank.
He warned that the absence of national unity places the Palestinian cause at risk, stressing the necessity of forming a unified Arab and Islamic stance to confront the Israeli occupation’s policies and protect the land and holy sites.
YPA