A senior Hamas official has stated that any international forces deployed to the Gaza Strip must have a clearly defined mandate limited to monitoring a ceasefire and separating Palestinian civilians from occupying forces. Hossam Badran, a member of Hamas’s political bureau, emphasized that transforming such forces into a replacement for the occupying army or a tool to combat Palestinians would be unacceptable and would further complicate the situation.
Speaking to DZWatch, Badran indicated that Palestinian factions, including Fatah, presented a unified position in Cairo regarding international forces. He asserted that the Palestinian stance is based on protecting civilians and halting aggression, not legitimizing any new foreign military presence. He suggested that the agreement stems from global weariness with the occupying power’s conduct.
Badran highlighted that stopping the daily bloodshed in Gaza was a primary objective for Hamas. He affirmed that the resistance acted with political wisdom and realism, supported by national consensus and Arab and Islamic backing. He also stated, “We are the rightful owners of the land, and the world should direct its compass towards the occupation, not the victim.”
Hamas and Israel previously reached a ceasefire agreement mediated by Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, with U.S. support. The initial phase of the agreement took effect on October 10th of last year.
The conflict in the Gaza Strip resulted in a devastating number of casualties and widespread destruction. The United Nations has estimated the reconstruction costs to be approximately $70 billion.
Regarding the issue of fighters stranded outside the “Yellow Line” in Rafah, Badran revealed that Hamas engaged in difficult negotiations with mediators to find a solution that would safeguard the lives of the fighters. He claimed, however, that the occupying power presented impossible conditions and repeatedly backtracked on agreements. He asserted that demands for surrender and the handing over of weapons were made during some rounds of negotiations but were firmly rejected by Hamas.
