Hamas Clashes with Gaza Peace Council Over Disarmament and Reform Calls
A sharp dispute has erupted between Hamas leadership and the Gaza Peace Council following a social media post citing an article by researcher Ahmed Fouad Al-Khatib, which called for disarmament and technocratic rule.
Acute tension has been recorded between the leadership of the terrorist organization Hamas and the Gaza Peace Council. The confrontation began after the Council shared a post on social media platform X citing a critical article that called for a fundamental change in the governance of the Gaza Strip and the abandonment of armed struggle against Israel.
The Call for Disarmament
The controversy started when the Peace Council shared quotes from an article by Gazan researcher and exile Ahmed Fouad Al-Khatib, published in The New York Times. The post stated that Hamas had practically agreed to the Council's demands to surrender heavy weaponry and transfer control to a technocratic Palestinian committee. The author noted that in light of this, the destruction in the Gaza Strip was in vain, accusing parts of the pro-Palestinian community and the Western left of adopting a narrative that Hamas itself has now rejected.
Council members added their own message to the quote, emphasizing that Gaza must become a model of effective self-governance over the next decade. They stressed the need to convince Israel and its allies that Palestinian aspirations focus on freedom and prosperity rather than the destruction of Israel. To achieve this, the statement read, deep de-radicalization is required in schools, mosques, media, and the public sphere.
Hamas Counterattack
The statements sparked immediate anger within the Hamas leadership. Senior overseas official Bassem Naim attacked the Council, which was established under a UN Security Council resolution, accusing it of acting like social media activists. Naim claimed that Al-Khatib is a writer with Zionist leanings who lacks objectivity.
He criticized the Council for publishing statements that allegedly contradict the position of mediators and understandings reached during meetings in El Alamein, Egypt, which involved international figures such as Jared Kushner, Nickolay Mladenov, and Tony Blair.
The senior Hamas official concluded his response by stating:
"Hamas is an elected national movement representing large segments of the Palestinian people. The future of Gaza will be determined solely by its residents."
He demanded that the Peace Council maintain neutrality amid ongoing disputes over reshaping civil and security governance in the Gaza Strip.
