Hamas Politburo official Mohamed Nazar said in an interview with Reuters from Doha published on Saturday that Hamas intends to maintain security control in Gaza during an interim period when a technocratic government will control civilian government.
He added that the group was willing to accept a ceasefire of up to five years to allow for reconstruction if the Palestinians were offered a credible prospect of statehood.
Hamas cannot commit to disarmament without clarifying “the nature of the project,” Nazar said, stressing that such decisions must involve all Palestinian factions.
His comments highlight how Hamas’ position clashes with US President Donald Trump’s plans to call for the release and disarmament of all prisoners and the relinquishment of governance to an internationally-backed transitional body.
Israel insists Hamas must comply fully with the agreement and accuses the group of withholding prisoners and failing to disarm them. However, Hamas says it has released all surviving prisoners and handed over some of their bodies, and claims that it is technically difficult to capture others.
The background remains difficult. Gaza authorities say Israel has killed about 68,000 Palestinians in the Gaza war since October 2023.
Nazar stressed that the proposed ceasefire is aimed at rebuilding Gaza, not preparing for a new conflict, and that elections should be held after the transition phase.