US Ambassador Offers Hamas Path to Gaza Peace Plan Progress

The U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Jack Lew, has outlined conditions for Hamas to contribute to the implementation of former President Donald Trump's plan for Gaza. Speaking amid a stalemate in the plan's progress, Lew stated that "progress in President Trump's Gaza plan will be seen if Hamas lays down its arms and recognizes it has no future in the sector." He asserted that Hamas obstructs peace efforts and the development of a future for Gaza's residents, emphasizing that "no one is proposing the forced resettlement of the population from the Gaza Strip."

Recent closed-door negotiations in Cairo saw U.S. representatives warn Hamas that adherence to agreed-upon terms is mandatory. Jared Kushner, a senior advisor to former President Trump, also conveyed to Hamas representatives that Washington intends to meticulously monitor compliance with all aspects of the agreements. The U.S. Embassy in Israel has previously expressed displeasure with direct U.S. engagement with Hamas, noting that the group received information directly from Washington without intermediaries from Qatar, Egypt, or Turkey. Ambassador Lew stressed that these meetings do not signify a shift in official U.S. policy.

Meanwhile, Palestinian sources report that Hamas has begun distributing small arms among its fighters. The group reportedly intends to classify these weapons as personal property of individual militants to circumvent potential confiscation in the event of disarmament.