Hamas Refuses to Join Formal Gaza Peace Deal Signing, Rejects Weapons Surrender

Hamas Refuses to Join Formal Gaza Peace Deal Signing: According to the AFP news agency, Hamas will not participate in the formal signing of the Gaza peace agreement. Hussam Badran, a member of the organization's political bureau, told AFP, "We will not participate in the formal signing."

Trump's unrealistic peace plan

Badran said Hamas remained active in ceasefire talks primarily through Egyptian and Qatari mediators. He described US President Donald Trump's peace plan as "unrealistic" and said Hamas "will respond with aggression" if Israel continues hostilities.

“The idea of ​​expelling Palestinians from their land, whether they are Hamas members or not, is completely unrealistic and nonsense,” he said.

The second phase of the Gaza peace plan

Badran also clarified that the provision for surrendering weapons included in the peace plan "does not raise any questions," and there will be no negotiations on it. He said, "The proposed surrender of weapons is completely unacceptable and non-negotiable."

The statement comes after Trump announced that Hamas would begin releasing Israeli hostages under US-brokered negotiations on Monday or Tuesday, as well as returning the bodies of those killed in captivity. Trump said the issue of Hamas surrendering weapons would be addressed in the second phase of the Gaza peace plan.