Palestinian militant group Hamas will not attend the Gaza peace deal signing ceremony in Egypt, a senior leader told AFP, citing disagreements with parts of Donald Trump’s plan — a move that casts doubt on the long-awaited accord.
According to a Times of Israel report, Hamas leaders rejected any suggestion that its members should leave the Gaza Strip under the deal, calling such proposals “absurd”.
Hossam Badran, a member of Hamas’s political bureau, told reporters, “Talk about expelling Palestinians, whether they’re Hamas members or not, from their land is absurd and nonsense.”
He added that negotiations over the plan’s second phase would be challenging as it “contains many complexities and difficulties”.
Trump’s Visit Looms Amid Mounting Tensions
The remarks come just ahead of US President Donald Trump’s scheduled Middle East visit in the next two days.
During the trip, Trump is expected to mark the release of Israeli hostages still held in Gaza two years after Hamas’s October 7 attack and to promote the next phase of his peace initiative.
A senior Hamas official, however, warned that political obstacles persist, declaring that the group’s disarmament — a central condition of Trump’s plan — is “out of the question”, even if Hamas relinquishes control of Gaza’s administration.
Ceasefire Begins As part Of Trump’s Deal
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who unilaterally ended the previous ceasefire in March, has indicated that Israel could renew its offensive if Hamas refuses to disarm.
Part of Trump’s deal took effect on Friday when Israel agreed to a ceasefire and withdrew troops from parts of Gaza, enabling displaced Palestinians to return to homes ravaged by bombardment.
Thousands of families travelled north along Gaza’s coast by foot, car, and cart as the fragile truce held.
Under the terms of the agreement, Hamas must release by noon Monday the remaining 47 Israeli hostages, both living and deceased — out of the 251 abducted during the group’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.
The remains of one additional hostage held since 2014 are also expected to be returned.
In exchange, Israel will free 250 prisoners, including several serving life sentences for fatal anti-Israeli attacks, along with 1,700 Gazans detained since the start of the war.
Conflict’s Toll And Next Steps
Israeli forces pulled back following a campaign that killed tens of thousands and devastated much of the Gaza Strip.
The US military will oversee a multinational coordination task force — likely including troops from Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, and the UAE — though no American forces will enter Gaza.
According to the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza, Israel’s offensive has killed at least 67,682 people — figures the United Nations considers credible.
The current conflict was triggered by Hamas’s October 7, 2023, assault on Israel, which killed 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to official Israeli data.
(With inputs from IBNS)
