The Trump administration has purportedly withdrawn its long-established demand that Hamas lays down its arms as a condition for a Gaza ceasefire, amid ongoing negotiations brokered by Egypt, The New Arab reported on May 10th.
According to Arabic-language news outlet, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, US officials informed Egyptian mediators that the subject of disarmament could be dealt with in the future, rather than being a precondition for a deal.
An Egyptian source who knows about the negotiations said US officials have expressed openness to delaying the enforcement of disarmament and the surrender of Palestinian arms in Gaza.
The same source noted that Washington had acknowledged the difficulty of forcibly exiling members of Hamas’s armed wing and others, citing resistance from potential host countries and the large number of individuals Israel seeks to expel. It is estimated to be between 3,000 and 5,000 people.
In return, the US is reportedly demanding the immediate liberation of all 21 living Israeli captives, along with the return of the bodies of those killed, in one batch.
The reported policy shift comes amid growing internal doubts in Washington over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s reliance on military operations to secure the hostages’ release.
Intelligence sources have suggested that three hostages were killed following Israel’s renewed offensive on March 18th.
On May 12th, Hamas released the last known US hostage in the Gaza Strip, US-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander, in an effort to boost ceasefire efforts, according to France 24 with AFP, AP and Reuters. On October 7th 2023, Alexander was kidnapped from his Israel military base in the Hamas attack of the same day.
Mediators are also optimistic about reaching a future framework to regulate resistance arms and fighter movement after a deal is achieved.
The development marks a significant departure from previous US policy, which had insisted on Hamas’s disarmament as a non-negotiable requirement for any ceasefire. The US appears to be prioritising an immediate cessation of hostilities and the release of hostages over longer-term security arrangements.
The New Arab via Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, France 24, AFP, AP, Reuters
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