Hamas Rejects Disarmament, Seeks to Build Power

Hamas is seeking to leverage ongoing regional negotiations involving Iran and Lebanon to delay disarmament and strengthen its position in Gaza, according to a source in Israel’s security establishment.

The source said the group is using Israel’s focus on Hezbollah in Lebanon, along with the United States’ attention on Iran, to buy time and avoid meaningful progress in talks over its future role in Gaza.

According to the assessment, Hamas is working to consolidate control on the ground by collecting taxes, recruiting operatives, and asserting authority over the flow of goods entering the Strip. At the same time, it is presenting a public posture of flexibility regarding governance arrangements.

Security officials believe that even if Hamas is formally pushed out of power, it may attempt to retain influence behind the scenes by shaping or controlling any new governing body. The approach has been compared to Hezbollah’s model in Lebanon, where the group maintained significant military and political power without formally leading the government.

The report comes as Hamas has rejected a US-led proposal for disarmament under a framework known as the “Board of Peace.” According to multiple sources, the group has demanded changes to the plan and accused mediator Nickolay Mladenov of pro-Israel bias.

A senior Palestinian official familiar with the talks told the BBC that Hamas would not move forward with the next phase of ceasefire negotiations until Israel fulfills what it says are outstanding commitments from the initial phase of the agreement. Hamas officials have also called for a clear timetable for those steps.

Israel, for its part, says it has withdrawn from populated areas to positions east of the so-called Yellow Line and increased humanitarian aid, maintaining that further progress is contingent on Hamas agreeing to disarm.

Demilitarization has been a core component of the ceasefire framework since it was first agreed in October, but Hamas has repeatedly stated that it will not give up its weapons. The group’s latest rejection came after a deadline to accept the proposal expired late last week.

Officials indicated that the Board of Peace plan, expected to last six to eight months, could align with upcoming elections in Israel and US midterms, potentially reducing international focus on Gaza during a critical period.

Separately, reports indicated that several senior Hamas officials have recently left Qatar for Turkey and other countries, following what were described as signals to relocate amid heightened security concerns.