Demilitarization action: most of the weapons in Gaza were declared destroyed

After the war in the Gaza Strip, the issue of the disarmament of Hamas and the future governance of the exclave came to the forefront of the Palestinian agenda. A significant part of the weapons have already been destroyed, Munzir al-Hayek, a representative of the Fatah movement, told Izvestia. However, some remain in the hands of Hamas, while the movement's refusal to discuss this issue only increases the pressure on Gaza. Currently, the option of collecting weapons with their subsequent transfer to Egypt or the Palestinian National Authority is being considered. Hamas insists that the movement has not yet agreed to surrender its weapons, while Israel considers the complete demilitarization of the strip as a prerequisite for any post-war settlement. Meanwhile, the national committee for the management of Gaza is unable to start work due to an empty treasury.

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Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced the holding of parliamentary elections on November 1, which escalated the debate about who and under what conditions will determine the political and security structure of Gaza. This election will be the first such event in almost two decades. At the same time, discussions about the future of the strip after the war are increasingly shifting towards the issue of the disarmament of the Palestinian Hamas movement and the model of governance of the exclave.

"Most of the weapons in Gaza were destroyed during the war, and talk of maintaining a significant arsenal does not correspond to the real state of affairs," Munzir al—Hayek, an official representative of the Fatah movement in Gaza, told Izvestia.

At the same time, he noted that Hamas's refusal to disarm does not contribute to the realization of the national Palestinian project. On the contrary, such statements, in his assessment, increase external political pressure on the sector and increase the risks of a new round of escalation and destruction.

— Israel seeks to consolidate the changes "on the ground", seeking to transform the eastern regions of the Gaza Strip into a so-called security belt. We are talking about about 51 square kilometers of territory, which will actually lead to the compression of more than 2 million Palestinians in an area not exceeding 42% of the total territory of the exclave (the total area is about 360 square kilometers), and the consolidation of a new status quo in which the eastern regions will cease to be considered as Palestinian land. Munzir al-Hayek said.

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In these circumstances, sharp differences remain among the Palestinians on the issue of complete disarmament. As Asharq Al-Awsat reported, citing sources in Hamas and other factions, the movement insists that decisions on this issue should be taken collectively by all Palestinian forces. According to the publication, substantive consultations with intermediaries on this topic may take place in Egypt in the near future.

The disarmament debate is unfolding against the backdrop of the promotion of the American plan for a post-war settlement in Gaza. On January 14, US President's special envoy Steve Witkoff announced the beginning of the second phase of Washington's initiative, which provides for the creation of a transitional Palestinian authority, the disarmament of Hamas and the transition to the restoration of the exclave. At the same time, the plan excludes any direct or indirect involvement of the movement in the future management of Gaza.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly stressed that the key task remains the dismantling of Hamas' military and political structures and the demilitarization of Gaza, and, according to him, this goal can be achieved both by political and military means. US President Donald Trump has publicly indicated a similar position.

Hamas did not agree to the disarmament

Meanwhile, Musa Abu Marzouk, a member of the movement's politburo, said in an interview with the Qatari Al Jazeera television channel that Hamas had never agreed to surrender weapons and that negotiations on this topic had not actually been conducted either with the American side or with intermediaries. At the same time, he admitted that the fate of certain types of weapons could be discussed in future negotiations, but not in the logic of complete disarmament.

In parallel with the political discussions in the Gaza Strip, limited humanitarian progress is taking place. On February 2, the first group of Palestinians who had left the exclave during the war returned to the exclave through the Rafah checkpoint from Egypt. According to the current agreements, up to 150 residents can leave the sector every day, and another 50 receive entry permits.

The crossing, which has remained closed since May 2024 after the establishment of Israeli control over it, once again plays a key role in the delivery of aid and the evacuation of the wounded, directly affecting the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

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Commenting on the prospects for disarmament, security expert Mohammed al-Masri suggested the option of "freezing" — keeping weapons from Hamas, provided they are not used. According to him, most of the Palestinian factions at this stage are considering settlement options that would include the transfer of these arsenals to the Egyptian side or the Palestinian National Authority. This would reduce the level of tension and avoid a direct military scenario.

The expert also pointed out that the national committee is expected to start working in the near future, which should play a key role in the transition period of the sector's management. However, as al-Masri emphasized, the structure faces serious logistical difficulties.

— The committee lacks the necessary infrastructure, including headquarters, which significantly limits its functionality. At the first stage, the security of the committee members is provided by private Palestinian companies until the police forces can begin to perform their duties," the expert told Izvestia.

However, the key problem remains the lack of funding. Al-Masri noted that the committee does not have an approved budget, which is why its members will actually have to start working as individuals who do not have the resources for full-fledged activities. According to him, this casts doubt on the effectiveness of the transition mechanism without external financial and organizational support.