Hamas Leader Says Trump Plan Envisions Palestinian State

Khalil al-Hayya, head of Hamas's political bureau, stated on Saturday that the militant group had agreed last year to a ceasefire plan that would ultimately lead to the creation of a Palestinian state. However, he avoided directly addressing the sensitive issue of Hamas disarmament.

When questioned by Qatar's Al-Araby channel about Israel's demand for Hamas disarmament as part of a Gaza ceasefire, al-Hayya responded, "We agreed on a project, a roadmap that we are ready to implement; it is a complete package. It starts with finalizing the first phase of the ceasefire and continues until the creation of a Palestinian state, including the issue of weapons. It must be implemented in its entirety," implicitly linking the group's arsenal to the political process's outcome.

The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, reportedly concluded in October 2025 to end a two-year war initiated by the October 7, 2023, attack, included an exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners. This was accompanied by a 20-point plan presented by Donald Trump, which suggested a "credible path toward self-determination and the creation of a Palestinian state," contingent on Gaza's reconstruction and Palestinian Authority reform, an objective Israel opposes.

Both sides accuse each other of violating the truce, with Hamas citing ongoing Israeli strikes and Israel justifying its actions by the group's military resurgence. While Hamas formally accepted a disarmament plan on July 30, its implementation is stalled, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists on complete disarmament before any IDF withdrawal, rejecting the phased, reciprocal approach proposed. Officials from the Peace Council acknowledge that Israeli elections scheduled for October 27 make progress unlikely before the vote.

Al-Hayya also briefly mentioned upcoming Palestinian legislative elections, expected in about two months, in which Hamas is unlikely to participate as a distinct entity. He indicated the movement had agreed to join a "national coalition" without detailing its structure, warning that any postponement of the elections would be seen as interference in the reconciliation process with Fatah.

Regarding the October 7, 2023, attack, which killed approximately 1,200 people in southern Israel and saw 251 hostages taken, al-Hayya described it as a response to what he termed the "criminal aggression of the occupation," asserting the attack occurred when the Palestinian cause was, in his view, forgotten by the world.