A senior Hamas negotiator has suggested the terror group will not surrender its weapons unless Israel withdraws entirely from Gaza, complicating U.S.-led efforts to solidify a lasting peace under the Trump administration�s 20-point plan to end the two-year conflict.

In an interview published Sunday, Khalil Al-Hayya, Hamas�s lead negotiator, claimed the group�s weapons are �linked to the presence of the occupation and aggression.� He added that �if the occupation ends, these weapons will be transferred to the state.�

It remains unclear what entity Al-Hayya was referring to � whether an envisioned Palestinian governing authority to be formed under international supervision, or another body yet to be established. His comments also left uncertain how Hamas defines �the occupation,� a term that some Palestinian leaders use to refer broadly to the State of Israel�s existence, rather than its military presence in specific territories.

Israel has demanded that Hamas disarm as part of any postwar settlement, a stance strongly backed by Washington. U.S. officials have said that disarmament is a non-negotiable condition for Gaza�s transition to international oversight and reconstruction under the peace plan.

Al-Hayya�s remarks underscore the widening gap between Hamas�s political posture and the expectations set by Israel and the United States, raising new doubts about whether the terrorist group is prepared to accept the framework for a post-conflict Gaza.

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