Ceasefire in Gaza: Hamas Calls for an End to Israeli 'Violations', Washington Insists on Disarmament

Hamas hopes that discussions scheduled for Friday in Florida aimed at consolidating a fragile ceasefire in the Gaza Strip will lead to an end to Israeli 'violations' in the Palestinian territory. Washington, on the other hand, warns that there will be no peace without the disarmament of the movement.

American envoy Steve Witkoff is set to attend a meeting on Friday in Miami with representatives from Turkey, Qatar, and Egypt, who are mediators and guarantors of the ceasefire.

While a fragile ceasefire came into effect on October 10 in the Gaza Strip, which has been ravaged by two years of war, mediators are urging increased efforts to move to the next phase of the U.S. peace plan.

This phase includes the disarmament of Hamas, the gradual withdrawal of the Israeli military from the entire territory, the establishment of a transitional authority, and the deployment of an international force.

"Our people expect these talks to result in an agreement to put an end to Israeli excesses and stop all violations," said Bassem Naïm, a member of Hamas' political bureau, to AFP.

In Washington, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized the disarmament of the Palestinian movement, one of Israel's main demands.

"If Hamas ever finds itself in a position to threaten or attack Israel, there will be no peace. You won't convince anyone to invest money in Gaza if they think a new war will break out in two or three years. That’s why disarmament is so important," he stated at a press conference.

However, he expressed confidence that countries "acceptable to all parties" were ready "to engage and be part of this international stabilization force" that aims to ensure the longevity of the ceasefire.

In mid-December, a senior Hamas official, Khalil al-Hayya, asserted that his movement had a "legitimate right" to bear arms. He also indicated a willingness to "consider" any proposals that preserve this right while ensuring the establishment of a Palestinian state.

Israel and Hamas accuse each other of violating the terms of the ceasefire, while the humanitarian situation in the Palestinian territory remains critical.

The Hamas Health Ministry announced on Thursday that at least 395 Palestinians had been killed by Israeli gunfire since the ceasefire took effect.

Three Israeli soldiers have also been killed in the territory since the ceasefire began.

Israel is still waiting for the return of the last hostage's body held in Gaza before entering negotiations on the second phase of the agreement.

On Friday in Cairo, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty reported daily contacts with the various parties to achieve a "quick implementation" of this second phase.

But until then, the international community must "exert real and effective pressure to stop all the daily violations of the ceasefire," he emphasized.

For his part, Bassem Naïm also expressed hope that the Miami talks would "force" Israel to respect "the entry of aid, the opening of the Rafah crossing in both directions, and the entry of all necessary materials for reconstruction and infrastructure rehabilitation."

Mr. Naïm urged for the "concretization" of the next steps of President Donald Trump's plan, "to enable lasting stability, initiate total reconstruction, but also a political process allowing Palestinians to govern themselves, leading to the establishment of an independent and fully sovereign state."