Comments by US officials on amnesty for Hamas members are seen as an “important step” as focus shifts to the next steps in the Gaza ceasefire.
Disarmament by Hamas in Gaza will be accompanied by “some type of amnesty” for Palestinian groups, a US official said.
U.S. officials made the comments to reporters on condition of anonymity on Monday after the body of the last Israeli prisoner in Gaza was recovered. This is a move that paves the way for the next stage of the Gaza ceasefire agreement agreed in October.
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“We’re hearing a lot of their people talking about disarmament. We think they’ll disarm. If they don’t disarm, they’re in violation of the agreement. We think disarmament comes with some kind of amnesty, and frankly we think we have a very good disarmament program,” the official said, according to Reuters.
Al Jazeera’s Roziland Jordan reported from Washington, D.C., that the official made the comments during a briefing with senior officials from President Donald Trump’s administration and reporters.
“Senior government officials told reporters that Hamas has agreed to disarm and that it will happen,” Jordan said.
“The same official also referred to the fact that when the question was raised whether Hamas could be recognized as a political entity in exchange for arms (disarmament), he said that the possibility of amnesty for Hamas fighters who have laid down their weapons was also part of the discussion,” Jordan said.
“But officials did not go into further details. Even so, the fact that it was made public for reporters to discuss publicly is an important step,” she said.
“How long will it take to resolve these conditions? Well, it certainly depends on what the Israelis, the Americans, and their various interlocutors, the Qataris, the Turks, the Egyptians, can bring to the table with Hamas to resolve this issue. But now some kind of amnesty is floating publicly,” she added.
On Monday, Israel confirmed that the body of Ran Gviri, the last prisoner held in Gaza, had been positively identified and that all prisoners held in the war-torn Palestinian territory “have now been repatriated.”
Hamas said on Monday that the return of the prisoners’ remains underlined its commitment to the first phase of the cease-fire agreement and had “fulfilled all obligations in a clear and responsible manner.”
Israel must now abide by its side of the ceasefire agreement “without any penalty or delay.”
“Among other things, the Rafah crossing should be opened in both directions without restrictions, allowing only the necessary amount of Gaza to enter the country, lifting any bans, withdrawing completely from the Gaza Strip, and facilitating the work of the National Committee for the Management of the Gaza Strip,” the group said.
President Trump’s 20-point plan for Gaza provides for amnesty for Hamas members who dispose of their weapons if all prisoners are returned. Under the plan, Hamas members wishing to leave Gaza will be provided safe passage. The plan also specifies that aid must flow “freely” into the enclave and that the Rafah border with Egypt will be reopened.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met Hamas officials in Ankara on Monday to discuss the second phase of the ceasefire agreement and the humanitarian situation in the enclave, a ministry official told Reuters.
The official added that he briefed Hamas officials on Turkiye’s efforts on international platforms, including President Trump’s Peace Commission, to protect the rights of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
Turkiye’s state-run Anadolu news agency reported that Fidan said efforts to deliver much-needed humanitarian aid to Gaza “will continue with determination.”
