Talks held in Miami between delegations from the United States, Egypt, Qatar and Turkey on the development of the Gaza Strip deal were viewed by Hamas as advanced, although the Islamic group itself stressed that moving to a next stage depends on new American guarantees and Washington’s ability to put pressure on the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. As the group’s affiliated Palestinian newspaper Filastín reported, Hamas spokesman Basem Naim stressed that while it acknowledged that the first phase of the agreement had made constructive progress, Israel had obstructed the implementation of the follow-up measures envisaged in the plan.
According to Filastín, Hamas warned of the lack of positive signals regarding the formation of an international force to stabilize the situation in the Gaza Strip, a point that appears in the second phase of the plan supported by US President Donald Trump. Basem Naim pointed out that the main obstacle to the implementation of this phase lies in the requirement that Israel completely withdraw its forces from the Palestinian enclave, reopen the border crossings and begin a reconstruction process. “They are trying to prevent the next step because it requires the complete withdrawal of their forces, the opening of border crossings and the start of the reconstruction process,” the spokesman said during the interview.
In the statements reported by the above-mentioned media, Naim also accused Israel of failing to fulfill the commitments made in the first phase of the agreement, even though the other party – presumably Hamas and the Palestinian authorities – had fulfilled their obligations. “The occupation continues to violate all clauses related to the first phase of the agreement and undermines any progress, while the other party continues to fulfill its obligations despite (Israel’s) serious violations,” Naim stated.
The spokesman also referred to the possible tasks of an international force in Gaza if it were to be stationed. He stressed that Hamas would only accept a foreign mission with very limited powers and without the ability to intervene in internal Palestinian affairs. Naim stated: “Any force deployed in Gaza should play a limited role, including monitoring the ceasefire and any measures to prevent an increase in violence, but should not interfere in the internal affairs of the Palestinians.”
Basem Naim stressed that any progress toward the second phase of the plan depends not only on international pressure on the Israeli government, but also on the existence of clear guarantees from the United States. “It is necessary to move to the second phase, but all this depends on the guarantees of the United States and its ability to respond when it comes to putting pressure on the leader of the Israeli occupation, Benjamin Netanyahu, and his fascist government,” he said.
During the interview with “Filastín,” Naim also referred to the work that Hamas has been carrying out since August 2014, together with other parties, to form a Technocrats Committee, a structure that seeks to limit political affiliations and whose frame of reference is a proposal from Egypt. This process included meetings and contacts between the actors involved, which the spokesman described as “positive”. The only condition that Hamas sets is that the administration of Palestine remains exclusively in Palestinian hands. “We have been working since August 2014 to form a committee of technocrats with few political ties, as Egypt proposed,” Naim said.
With regard to possible international interference, the Hamas spokesman emphasized: “We will not tolerate any guardian or external influence on our affairs.” He expressed that any foreign force that ultimately enters the Gaza Strip must comply with the requirement of neutrality and limit itself to functions of monitoring the ceasefire and preventing violent incidents, excluding any intervention in local governance.
Filastín media also detailed that, according to Hamas, Israel continues to block the progress of the peace process by maintaining its military presence and blocking access to the Gaza Strip. This approach, according to the organization, contradicts the requirements expressed in the drafts of the second phase of the plan supported by Washington.
During recent multilateral negotiations, the United States has expressed support for a formula for stabilizing the area that would imply international participation in monitoring and control tasks, although the precise composition of this force and its scope for maneuver remain a point of disagreement for Hamas and other Palestinian factions. The spokesman emphasized that for any agreement it is necessary to obtain solid guarantees certifying the respect of the commitments by all parties involved.
The reconstruction process, the opening of the Gaza border crossings and the Israeli military withdrawal appear as fundamental demands in the Hamas statements collected in Filastín. These conditions, according to the group, are essential for the realization of any kind of international agreements to be implemented in the second phase of the plan.
The newspaper reported that last Friday’s negotiations in Miami analyzed mechanisms to ensure progress toward a transition in Gaza, although resolving outstanding issues remained a subject of tension. Hamas maintains its position that it will only accept a clearly limited international presence and that any attempt to interfere in local administration will be rejected, in line with the assertion that the Palestinians themselves should be the ones who should govern Palestine.
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