The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the talks, said the offer was presented to Egyptian, Qatari and Turkish mediators in Cairo last week. The offer represents what he described as a substantive move by Hamas intended to give momentum to the next phase of the ceasefire negotiations.
“The proposal is clear,” the official said.
“Hamas is offering a guarantee that no weapon will be fired from Gaza against Israel, and it will do that by burying the weapons. It offered to establish a hudna (a term used in Islamic tradition to describe a long-term truce) for seven to ten years between Gaza and Israel, and Hamas will not use the weapons.”
According to the official, the hudna would be guaranteed by the mediating states, who would act as guarantors of compliance. He said the weapons would be concealed, and that the mediators would directly supervise the commitments made by Hamas.
“During this period Gaza will be busy with itself,” the official added, referring to reconstruction and internal governance after more than two years of devastating war, displacement and siege.
Hamas has until now refused to hand over its weapons except under the authority of a democratically elected leadership of a fully sovereign Palestinian state. The movement has repeatedly stated that its armed campaign against Israel would only end once the occupation of Palestinian land ends.
The new offer, however, concerns Gaza specifically and does not address Hamas’s military capacities or political activities in the occupied West Bank, where Israel has continued near-daily raids despite the Gaza ceasefire.
The senior official stressed that the offer was also shaped by changes in the regional diplomatic landscape, singling out Egypt for what he said was a shift in Cairo’s position in favour of the needs of Palestinians in Gaza.
Egypt, he noted, recently insisted that the Rafah crossing must allow movement in both directions, including the return of displaced Palestinians. Israel, for its part, has only permitted departures from Gaza and has blocked thousands from returning to their homes in the north and centre of the strip.
“The mediators have renewed relations with Hamas,” the official said, adding, “Hamas found progress in the mediation and made many positive steps. The movement believes in a pragmatic way of reaching common positions.”
Since US President Donald Trump unveiled his 20-point plan for the enclave, significant ambiguity and challenges remain regarding both the establishment of the International Stabilisation Force (ISF) in Gaza and the formation of a technocratic Palestinian government that would operate under the so-called “board of peace”.
US officials have stated they expect “boots on the ground” early next year, but while countries like Indonesia have agreed to contribute troops, there is no roadmap for setting up the force, and its exact makeup, command structure and responsibilities have not been defined.
“No country is willing to provide troops without a clear idea of where they would be deployed and what their mission would be,” the official said.
“The mediators have presented ideas but nothing concrete has emerged.”
Asked why Hamas appeared to place so much confidence in Trump’s ability to pressure Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the official said Trump’s recent communications with Israel had signalled a rare rift.
He pointed to US special envoy Steve Witkoff’s suggestion that amnesty be offered to more than 150 Hamas fighters trapped in Rafah. Witkoff reportedly said the amnesty could serve as a “model” for the rest of Gaza.
Trump raised the issue directly with Netanyahu in a phone call. According to US officials, Trump asked why the fighters were being killed instead of allowed to surrender. Netanyahu replied that they were “armed and dangerous”.
The Palestinian official insisted that internationally, the view was shifting.
“All the capitals of the world know that the party that violated the ceasefire is Israel, not Hamas,” he continued, adding, “Hamas has done everything it committed to do. Israel is looking for a lost body in Zeitoun and cannot find it. The picture is very clear.
“We depend only on ourselves”.
Asked whether Palestinians had been abandoned once again by Arab and Muslim governments – many of which backed an agreement in Sharm el-Sheikh that avoided any reference to a Palestinian state – the official said the Palestinian people were under no illusions.
“After Allah (God), the Palestinian people depend only on themselves. The Palestinian people will not surrender or give up their struggle,” he said, adding, “Yes, there are many difficulties. It is not easy to force Israel to retreat. But in the end, we will reach our goals and gain our rights.”
