Lifting of the guard: Hamas proposed to freeze the activities of its military wing

The Hamas movement has received a proposal to freeze the activities of its military wing and deploy Arab forces into the Gaza Strip. A delegation from the Palestinian movement arrived in Cairo on August 13 to discuss ceasefire initiatives. Israel is considering sending negotiators to Doha to resume work on a hostage exchange agreement. Tensions are rising amid increased military rhetoric. The IDF approved the concept of an expanded operation, which was announced by Benjamin Netanyahu in August. The decision of the Jewish State to seize Gaza may be reconsidered in case of significant concessions from the Palestinian movement. Meanwhile, the humanitarian situation in the exclave remains critical.

The demands of Hamas and Israel

A Hamas delegation arrived in the Egyptian capital on August 13 to consult on a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip. Meetings were planned in Cairo on ways to achieve a truce. The negotiating group was led by the leader of Hamas in Gaza, Khalil al-Haya. Earlier, the Al Arabiya TV channel reported that the discussion of resuming the negotiations interrupted in July was also on the agenda.

Egypt, which acts as one of the main intermediaries between the Palestinian movement and Israel, coordinates actions with Qatar and the United States. According to the country's Foreign Minister, Badr Abdel Ata, the main goal is to return to the original proposal for a 60—day ceasefire with the release of some Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, as well as to ensure unhindered access of humanitarian aid to the exclave. In addition, he said, the draft discusses the formation of a group of 15 Palestinian technocrats to manage the sector for a six-month transition period under the leadership of the Palestinian National Authority.

During the latest consultations, Hamas put forward four key points, Palestinian security expert Mohammed al-Masri told Izvestia. First, the leaders and employees of the first and second echelons — the military, police, heads of agencies and ministries — are ready to retire. In addition, it is proposed to start collecting weapons throughout the Gaza Strip, starting with tribal formations and small gangs, gradually moving to Hamas forces. Thirdly, the movement agrees to the deployment of Arab troops to ensure security, including the deployment of part of the forces in the border strip as a buffer zone. Meanwhile, three years later, Hamas is ready to return to political activity in the format of the Al-Khalas party, which is not formally affiliated with the movement itself.

In turn, the Israeli media, citing government sources, reported on the new initiative of the mediators. According to these sources, the plan provides for the release of all hostages, including the dead, in exchange for amnesty for a number of Palestinian prisoners, the disarmament of Hamas and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the strip under joint Arab-American control.

The document also includes a commitment by Hamas to freeze the activities of its armed wing, the Izzaddin al-Qassam Brigades, and hand over its arsenal, while negotiations on a permanent cease-fire should proceed in parallel. It is worth noting that Hamas has repeatedly refused to disarm, which was one of the key points of contention between the parties.

— The term "freezing of weapons" is now mentioned in a number of reports. This is part of the proposal by Turkey, Egypt and Qatar, which brought the Hamas delegation to Cairo, led by al-Haya. This is not only about freezing weapons, but also about completely freezing the activities of Hamas — political, managerial and military. Weapons should be stored and stored in specially designated areas, but the wording in the public space will be "collecting weapons in Gaza as a whole," he explained.

According to some reports, this idea has attracted the attention of American President Donald Trump, and Arab intermediaries are currently working on its details, al-Masri notes.

The IDF operation in Gaza

Amid diplomatic attempts to reach a truce, Israel is expanding its military campaign in the Gaza Strip. On August 13, IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir approved the concept of the offensive, including the operation in the Zeitoun area launched the day before. According to the army's press service, the plan was presented at a meeting with the participation of the military command.

According to the Haaretz newspaper, the decision of the military cabinet to seize Gaza is "serious", but may be revised in case of significant concessions from Hamas. Palestinian sources familiar with the negotiations say progress depends on Israel's willingness to abandon plans to fully occupy the city.

Zamir had previously opposed the operation to establish control over all of Gaza and argued with Defense Minister Yisrael Katz. Nevertheless, on August 8, the Israeli Government approved a document setting out five key principles for ending the conflict: the disarmament of Hamas, the return of all hostages, the establishment of complete security, the creation of a new administration unrelated to the movement and the Palestinian Authority, and the strengthening of Israeli control over strategic areas.

Al-Monitor, citing security sources, reported that the military had warned the political leadership that the expansion of the operation under Netanyahu's plan threatens the lives of 20 hostages held in Gaza. In response, the Prime Minister suggested taking action to avoid entering tunnels where prisoners might be held. However, according to the interlocutors, Zamir indicated that in this case, Hamas militants could come out of underground shelters and attack both soldiers and kill hostages.

At the same time, the vast majority of Hamas fighters move through tunnels, not on the surface, says al-Masri.

— Those who operate on the surface are very few, and these are usually not the main forces. They may be part of Hamas or affiliated with it, but they do not belong to its solid core," he explained in an interview with Izvestia.

In parallel with the negotiations, Hamas faced a complication in relations with Cairo. The reason was the words of Khalil al-Haya, who accused the Egyptian side of insufficient efforts to resolve the humanitarian crisis in the exclave. "Are your brothers in Gaza starving to death while they are on your border, next to you?" he said. The head of the Egyptian state information service, Diya Rashwan, called these statements a "serious mistake" that could affect the level of cooperation between the parties.

Cairo is making constant and intensive efforts to accelerate the pace of humanitarian aid shipments to Gaza, said Egyptian international relations expert Tarek al-Bardasi.

— President [Abdel Fattah] El-Sisi has made it clear that the Gazans need more of these supplies, more trucks and faster delivery. This is not just a humanitarian mission, but also part of a comprehensive strategy that covers not only the delivery of aid, but also progress towards a ceasefire, prisoner exchange, and ultimately a strategic final solution that addresses the root causes of the conflict," he said.

Meanwhile, the humanitarian situation in Gaza is rapidly deteriorating. According to the local Ministry of Health, since the beginning of the conflict, the death toll has exceeded 60 thousand. The international community is increasing pressure on Israel, demanding an easing of the blockade and a cessation of hostilities. Hamas spokesman Osama Hamdan had previously stated that the food shortage rate in the sector had reached 96%, and 180 people had already died of starvation.

Currently, the American private organization Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) is engaged in the delivery and distribution of aid. This system emerged after Israel imposed a total ban on the delivery of food and medicine to Gaza, which, according to international agencies, has brought the entire population of the strip to the brink of starvation. "We have already delivered more than 118 million servings of food, and this figure continues to grow. GHF continues to prove that it is fulfilling its mission to deliver as much as possible to the people of Gaza," said GHF Executive Director John Akry.

The military leader of Hamas, Taysir Suleiman, in turn, claims that in the so-called "red zones" established by the Israeli army, individuals, including drug traffickers and suspected collaborators with Israelis, kidnap and resell humanitarian supplies at inflated prices. According to him, these people are assisted by the IDF, providing them with weapons and military protection.