From the Liveblog of
Thursday, August 21, 2025
Palestinian factions begin handing over weapons at Beirut refugee camp
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Palestinian factions have begun handing over some of the weapons held in a refugee camp on the outskirts of Beirut to the Lebanese army, an initial step in implementing a plan officials announced three months earlier for removing arms from the camps.
It is a modest first step. One pickup left the camp loaded with light weapons packed in bags. The butts of machine guns could be seen protruding from some of the sacks.
It remains unclear whether all factions will abide by the decision.
Representatives of Hamas and the allied Palestinian Islamic Jihad did not respond to requests for comment.
A spokesperson for Hamas sent a statement signed by “the Palestinian Factions in Lebanon” that calls the handover of weapons “an internal organizational matter within the Fatah movement” that “has no connection, near or far, to the issue of Palestinian weapons in the camps.”
It adds, “Our weapons have always been and will always be linked to the right of return and the just Palestinian cause and will remain so as long as the occupation remains on Palestinian soil.”
משאית עם נשק מועברת לידי הצבא הלבנוני במחנה הפליטים הפלסטיני בורג' אל-בראג'נה. לפי הצהרות של פלסטינים מוקדם יותר – מה שנמסר שם כפעימה ראשונה זה נשק בינוני וכבד (ולא קל) ומה שיימסר בכללי זה רק הנשק "הבלתי חוקי". מהתרשמותי אם זה המודל לפירוק חיזבאללה זה חלקי מאוד pic.twitter.com/pJHSTRarpZ
— Nurit Yohanan (@nurityohanan) August 21, 2025
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