Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
Hamas’s armed wing has reiterated its refusal to surrender its weapons, hardening its position just hours before talks between US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that are expected to focus on the future of Gaza and the fate of the group’s military capabilities.
In a video statement released on Monday, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades said it would not disarm as long as what it describes as Israeli occupation continues. The statement directly challenges a core Israeli and US demand expected to be raised in discussions in Florida, where Netanyahu is set to press for Hamas’s disarmament and the demilitarization of Gaza as part of a second phase of the truce.
“Our people are defending themselves and will not give up their weapons as long as the occupation remains,” said the group’s new spokesman, who has adopted the nom de guerre Abu Obeida, the same name used by his predecessor.
Israeli officials have made clear that disarming Hamas is central to any long-term arrangement in Gaza. Israeli government spokeswoman Shosh Bedrosian said Netanyahu would discuss the next phase of the ceasefire framework, which includes ensuring that “Hamas is disarmed and Gaza is demilitarized.”
Hamas’s response was uncompromising. The new spokesman rejected Israeli demands outright and instead called for Israel to relinquish its own weapons. He appealed to international actors to focus on what he described as Israel’s military power, accusing it of being used against Palestinian civilians throughout the war.
The statement also carried a significant confirmation: Hamas officially acknowledged the death of its longtime military spokesman, months after Israel said he had been killed in an air strike in Gaza on August 30. Israel had previously announced that Hudhayfa Samir al-Kahlout, widely known as Abu Obeida, was killed in the strike, but Hamas had neither confirmed nor denied the claim until now.
In the video, the new spokesman praised his predecessor and announced the deaths of four other senior Hamas commanders in Israeli attacks during the conflict. He described Abu Obeida as a symbolic figure for the movement, revered by supporters and closely followed across the Arab world and beyond.
During the war, Abu Obeida became one of the most recognizable faces — or rather voices — of Hamas’s military wing. Appearing in videos wearing a military uniform and concealing his face with a red keffiyeh, he delivered statements that were closely watched for updates on battlefield developments and hostage-prisoner exchanges.
Born on February 11, 1985, and raised in the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza, al-Kahlout joined Hamas at a young age before rising through the ranks of the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades. Over the years, he survived multiple Israeli assassination attempts and maintained strict secrecy around his identity, which Hamas officials say was known only to a small inner circle.
Hamas has portrayed him as a symbol of armed resistance, known for fiery rhetoric and defiant messaging. Israeli officials, by contrast, have long viewed him as a key figure in what they describe as Hamas’s propaganda and command structure.
Israel has acknowledged killing or capturing large parts of Hamas’s leadership since the start of the war, saying its objective is to eliminate the group following the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel that sparked the conflict. Hamas, despite heavy losses, continues to present itself as militarily intact and politically defiant.
The timing of the statement underscores the gap between the parties as diplomatic efforts intensify. While the United States and Israel are pushing for a post-war framework centered on security guarantees and the removal of Hamas’s military capabilities, Hamas’s leadership has made clear that disarmament remains a red line.
As talks resume at the highest levels, the clash of positions highlights the difficulty of translating ceasefire arrangements into a lasting political settlement and suggests that the question of weapons, more than any other issue, may determine whether negotiations move forward or stall once again.
