Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal has firmly rejected calls to disarm Palestinian factions in Gaza, arguing that such actions would leave them vulnerable to eradication. Speaking at the Al Jazeera Forum in Doha on Sunday, Meshaal stated that discussions around Hamas relinquishing its arms were part of a century-long effort to neutralize Palestinian resistance.
In his view, Israel's continued occupation of Gaza renders disarmament a non-viable option, as it would make Palestinians an easy target for elimination. "Talk about disarmament will turn our people into a victim that can be easily preyed on by Israel, which is armed with all international weaponry," he said.
Meshaal emphasized the need to create an environment conducive to reconstruction and relief before attempting any form of disarmament. This approach has been accepted through talks mediated by Qatar, Turkey, Egypt, and indirect dialogue with the US via these mediators.
US President Donald Trump recently pushed for a comprehensive demilitarization of Hamas but ultimately met resistance from the group, who refused to relinquish their arms as long as Israel continues its occupation of Gaza. The latest "ceasefire" deal between Israel and Hamas includes tackling disarmament of Hamas and deploying an international peacekeeping force.
However, Israel's continued aggressive actions in Gaza, which have resulted in at least 576 Palestinian deaths and over 1,500 injuries since the ceasefire began, remains a contentious issue. Meshaal argued that Israel is the primary problem here, not the Palestinian resistance forces who provide guarantees.
The Hamas leader proposed an extended truce of five to seven years as an alternative to dismantling its military wing. He highlighted the importance of recognizing the Palestinian cause and finding solutions to address occupation, self-determination, and independence. Meshaal welcomed growing international recognition of a Palestinian state but acknowledged that it remains insufficient, calling for more decisive action from Arab and Muslim states in the diplomatic arena.
Meshaal also emphasized that the Palestinian people have a right to resist occupation, which is recognized by international law and heavenly religions.
In his view, Israel's continued occupation of Gaza renders disarmament a non-viable option, as it would make Palestinians an easy target for elimination. "Talk about disarmament will turn our people into a victim that can be easily preyed on by Israel, which is armed with all international weaponry," he said.
Meshaal emphasized the need to create an environment conducive to reconstruction and relief before attempting any form of disarmament. This approach has been accepted through talks mediated by Qatar, Turkey, Egypt, and indirect dialogue with the US via these mediators.
US President Donald Trump recently pushed for a comprehensive demilitarization of Hamas but ultimately met resistance from the group, who refused to relinquish their arms as long as Israel continues its occupation of Gaza. The latest "ceasefire" deal between Israel and Hamas includes tackling disarmament of Hamas and deploying an international peacekeeping force.
However, Israel's continued aggressive actions in Gaza, which have resulted in at least 576 Palestinian deaths and over 1,500 injuries since the ceasefire began, remains a contentious issue. Meshaal argued that Israel is the primary problem here, not the Palestinian resistance forces who provide guarantees.
The Hamas leader proposed an extended truce of five to seven years as an alternative to dismantling its military wing. He highlighted the importance of recognizing the Palestinian cause and finding solutions to address occupation, self-determination, and independence. Meshaal welcomed growing international recognition of a Palestinian state but acknowledged that it remains insufficient, calling for more decisive action from Arab and Muslim states in the diplomatic arena.
Meshaal also emphasized that the Palestinian people have a right to resist occupation, which is recognized by international law and heavenly religions.
so Meshaal is saying Israel's all this occupation stuff makes disarmament like, super hard? I guess that's one way to look at it 
. Like, can't we just agree to put our differences aside and work towards some sort of peace and stuff? 
it seems like forever since things have been sorted out in Gaza and Israel keeps on just, you know, being its usual aggressive self 
.
I think Meshaal has a point about Israel's occupation being a major problem here 
. If they were to disarm, it would be like leaving them defenseless against those heavy artillery attacks 
. Maybe we should focus on getting Israel to stop its aggression first? 
. Can't we just talk about finding a peaceful way out of all this? 
. I mean, can you blame them? Israel's continued occupation of Gaza is like, super exploitative & oppressive 
. The guy's right that talkin' about disarmament would make Palestinians look weak & vulnerable to elimination 
. We need to focus on creatin' a safe space for reconstruction & relief before even thinkin' about disarmament 
.
. We can't just sit back and watch as Palestinians continue to suffer 
. It's time for some real action from Arab & Muslim states, not just empty promises 
.
. We need to tackle the root causes of the conflict, not just patch things up with some token military presence 
. I'm all about supportin' Khaled Meshaal & the Palestinian resistance 
. meshaal makes some valid points tho - disarmament would leave them super vulnerable 
. and isnt israel just using occupation as an excuse to keep the status quo? 
... its time for some real change 
. And yeah, talk about disarmament sounds good on paper but it'd leave us all exposed to Israel's attacks. We need to focus on rebuilding and finding ways to bring down that occupation first 
. Maybe then can we have a real chance of peace.
. It's hard not to see the Israeli government as the primary problem here 
.
, but Meshaal's right that it's time for some real action 
.
international recognition of a palestinian state is a start, but more needs to be done 
gotta keep pushing for peace, even when it feels like an uphill battle 
and Meshaal's right to say that disarmament is not an option as long as Israel's still got a stranglehold on Gaza... it's all about power & control here 
. It's about finding solutions to occupation, self-determination, and independence. And yeah, I think the five to seven year truce thing has some merit too 
. But what really matters is that we see some real progress on these issues, not just a bunch of empty promises 
. It's time for us to get serious about supporting their right to resist occupation and fight for freedom 
Not really anyone.
. And yeah, it's not like they're asking for a lot - just some basic human rights and freedom to live without being shot at every day 
Meshaal's point about Israel being the primary problem here is so interesting... I mean, can't you just see how all these actions in Gaza would make Hamas feel like they gotta defend themselves? And now with this latest deal, it's like everyone's trying to take away their arms but nobody wants to talk about the root of the issue. I think Meshaal's idea of a five to seven year truce is something that could work, as long as there's some serious progress on recognizing Palestine as a state and dealing with all this occupation stuff... it's just so complex