Hamas rejects Egypt's proposal linking a ceasefire to disarmament

A senior Hamas official speaking to Al Jazeera Arabic revealed that Egypt presented the group with a fresh ceasefire proposal.

The plan allegedly included a direct clause calling for Palestinian resistance groups to lay down their weapons before any deal could be struck with Israel.

“Our negotiating delegation was surprised that the proposal Egypt conveyed included an explicit text regarding the disarmament of the resistance,” the official said. “Egypt informed us that there will be no agreement to stop the war without negotiating the disarmament of the resistance.”

According to the official, the group’s position hasn’t budged - no ceasefire without a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and an end to the war. “Hamas’s weapons were not subject to discussion,” the official said.

Israel, meanwhile, is saying that they will not end the onslaught in Gaza until Hamas is “defeated”.