Hamas Refuses Gaza Disarmament in Board of Peace Cairo Talks

Hamas has formally refused to disarm as part of the Board of Peace reconstruction framework, saying trust must be built through verified Israeli compliance with Phase 1 commitments before any disarmament discussions can begin. Hamas Political Bureau stated it is 'not opposed in principle' to eventual disarmament if backed by international guarantees, but rejected the current proposal as premature. Board of Peace Director General Nickolay Mladenov said there is 'no path to reconstruction through a rearmed Hamas.' The standoff has stalled Gaza reconstruction funding totaling $17 billion pledged but not disbursed.