Sources in Hamas and other Palestinian factions say there’s growing pessimism over a plan presented by the high representative of the US-backed Board of Peace, Nikolay Mladenov, to the movement’s leadership, proposing the full and unconditional disarmament of the Gaza Strip.
Two Hamas sources, inside and outside Gaza, told Asharq Al-Awsat the group is leaning toward partially rejecting the plan and will push for amendments to make it more equitable for Palestinians.
They said it does not clearly bind Israel to carry out the second phase, or even complete the first.
A third Hamas source and a senior Palestinian faction figure in Gaza said internal discussions are ongoing within each faction and at a broader national level.
Despite major reservations, they said the proposal would be handled positively while safeguarding Palestinian rights.
A unified response is expected, they added, one that stops short of full approval and instead seeks clarifications, guarantees and clear changes to several provisions.
Although the plan, reported by some media outlets and confirmed by sources, refers to “step-by-step” implementation by both sides, Hamas and other factions believe it favors Israel and does not compel it to meet its obligations.
The sources said it aims to fully disarm Gaza, including light, heavy and even personal weapons that individuals wanted by Israel may retain for self-defense.
Another senior faction source said the plan seeks to reshape Gaza’s political and security landscape and dismantle the “resistance” structure, offering in return only humanitarian and administrative measures that do not preserve Palestinians’ political and national rights.
The “step-for-step” principle, the source said, is largely symbolic, requiring factions to take strategic steps including full disarmament, surrendering all powers, halting any military activity and potentially restricting political activity under various pretexts.
It would also require factions to dismantle their own tunnels in areas under their control in exchange for temporary humanitarian packages.
A Hamas source in Gaza said disarmament “in this way” is unacceptable, arguing that Israel is imposing its conditions without regard for Palestinian demands.
The source said individuals wanted by Israel and leading activists must retain at least personal weapons for self-defense, citing ongoing Israeli special forces operations and armed groups accused of carrying out assassinations.
Such a scenario, the source said, could allow Israel to carry out killings while attributing them to ordinary criminal acts.
The plan’s general principles call for completing outstanding commitments from the first phase without delay and allowing the entry of reconstruction materials, including dual-use items, into areas verified as disarmed and placed under a national committee.
Hamas sees this as linking reconstruction and access to areas in Gaza with the surrender of weapons.
Hamas sources said this contradicts a plan by US President Donald Trump presented to the group during ceasefire talks last September, noting the original proposal called for setting weapons aside under a negotiated framework, not imposing disarmament through what they described as threats.
They added that the Board of Peace plan does not require a full Israeli withdrawal; instead, it outlines a partial, phased pullback without clear benchmarks.
It also falls short of committing to genuine reconstruction, focusing mainly on temporary housing such as caravans, while allowing construction materials in unspecified quantities and without clarifying whether they would support the comprehensive rebuilding of homes and civilian infrastructure.
According to the sources, the plan allows Israel to take military action if the national committee fails to carry out its duties, to address what it describes as a “serious potential threat” in areas declared disarmed. Hamas views this as giving Israel room to justify operations similar to those it currently conducts against Palestinian factions.
Among Hamas’s objections is the Board of Peace’s insistence that no government employees affiliated with the movement serve on the committee that would administer Gaza. The issue was discussed during a recent meeting in Cairo between Hamas leaders and Mladenov and remains under further negotiation.
The plan stipulates that Hamas must cease exercising any civil or security authority in Gaza and refrain from governance, policing and administrative functions.
Hamas is seeking an arrangement under which its civil servants would be integrated after security vetting, while senior officers and others rejected by Israel would be excluded from any governing role in Gaza.
Since Hamas leaders expressed anger at Mladenov, particularly following his remarks before the UN Security Council, the movement’s media outlets have stepped up efforts to promote its position, featuring interviews with faction figures, tribal leaders, analysts and writers to rally support for its stance.
