DOHA, Qatar
A senior Hamas official said Sunday the group is prepared to discuss “freezing or storing” its weapons as part of its ceasefire agreement with Israel, offering a potential pathway to resolve one of the most contentious obstacles in the U.S.-brokered deal.
Bassem Naim, a member of Hamas’s political bureau, spoke as negotiations enter a second, more complex phase.
“We are open to have a comprehensive approach in order to avoid further escalations or in order to avoid any further clashes or explosions,” Naim told The Associated Press in an interview in Doha, Qatar, where much of the group’s leadership is based.
The ceasefire halted a two-year Israeli offensive in Gaza, which was launched in response to Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel. When asked if that attack was a mistake, Naim defended it as an “act of defense.”
The statement marks a notable shift in rhetoric from the militant group, which has long insisted on retaining its armed capabilities. Whether this opening translates into a durable diplomatic solution remains a central question as talks progress.
By James Kisoo
