Hamas given proposal for gradual weapon handover in months-long process — officials

The disarmament proposal presented to Hamas by Gaza ceasefire mediators this week in Cairo envisions all armed groups in the Strip gradually handing over their weapons over the coming months, two Arab diplomats familiar with the matter tell The Times of Israel.

The proposal requires Hamas to — within 90 days — hand over its heavy weaponry, such as missiles and rocket launchers, in addition to maps of its tunnel network.

In addition, a buy-back program would offer jobs and funds to armed group members who agree to hand over their personal weapons, though, that process is expected to take longer than the initial three-month timeline given for heavy weaponry, the first Arab diplomat says.

While Hamas negotiators have expressed willingness in talks with Arab mediators to hand over the terror group’s heavy weapons, they have insisted on maintaining lighter weapons, arguing that they are necessary for self-defense, the Arab diplomat adds.

Details of the disarmament proposal were first published by the National Public Radio, The New York Times and Haaretz.

The proposal envisions the weapons being handed over to the yet-to-be-formed Palestinian police. The National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), which is supposed to replace Hamas in governing Gaza, began recruitment for the new police force last month.

Palestinians who previously served as Hamas civil servants have been allowed to apply to the new police force, but they will have to undergo Israeli vetting in order to be approved, the first Arab diplomat says, adding that those who Israel says were involved in Hamas’s October 7 onslaught may not be granted immunity.

The weapon handover will take place geographically, beginning with southern Gaza, and will see the Palestinian police and the International Stabilization Force phase out the IDF in areas from which weapons have been cleared, the Arab diplomat says.

The second Arab diplomat expressed skepticism that Israel would ultimately agree to further withdrawals of its troops from Gaza.

The proposal also envisions Israel lifting curbs on humanitarian aid and reconstruction equipment for Gaza as the handover of weapons progresses.

The gradual disarmament framework goes against what Israeli officials had long said was their stance, demanding that the weapons handover be conducted all at once.

However, mediating countries — the United States, Qatar, Turkey and Egypt — were convinced that the Israeli demand was unrealistic, the Arab diplomat says.

Israel was aware of the proposal presented to Hamas in Cairo this week and did not object to it, believing that it would ultimately be rejected by Hamas anyway, the second Arab diplomat says.

The Gaza mediators are hoping Hamas responds to the proposal this week, and the Arab diplomat speculated that the group would come back with a counteroffer, which will further drag out the process.

The disarmament proposal was presented to Hamas in Cairo meetings headed by the Board of Peace’s High Representative for Gaza Nickolay Mladenov, along with US special envoy Steve Witkoff’s senior adviser Aryeh Lightstone, the Arab diplomats say.