US President’s Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff has stated that a long-term solution for Gaza requires the complete disarmament of Hamas.
The conduct of Hamas “has been so poor that Bibi [Benjamin Netanyahu] in certain circumstances has felt that he has no alternative,” Witkoff told The Atlantic.
According to Witkoff, any long-term resolution must involve the “total demilitarization” of Hamas.
The war, which began with Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel, has led to a prolonged Israeli military campaign in the Gaza Strip, resulting in a humanitarian crisis, tens of thousands of deaths, and widespread destruction of infrastructure.
Witkoff’s emphasis on the "total demilitarization" of Hamas reflects a central Israeli demand: that Hamas, which is designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the EU, must not remain a political or military force in Gaza. However, this vision has faced skepticism from some international actors, including Arab states, who argue that military solutions alone cannot produce sustainable peace without addressing underlying political grievances, including the broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the question of Palestinian statehood.
By Khagan Isayev
Source: caliber.az
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