As the movement emphasized, disarmament will only be agreed upon if an independent and sovereign Palestinian state is established.
This statement is seen as a direct response to Israel's previously stated key demand—the disarmament of Hamas. The recent weeks of indirect negotiations mediated by Qatar and Egypt ended without results. The negotiations aimed to achieve a ceasefire for 60 days and reach an agreement on the release of hostages.
The two-state solution initiative previously proposed by France and Saudi Arabia was supported by Qatar and Egypt. According to this initiative, Hamas must surrender its weapons to the Palestinian Authority, which is backed by the West. However, Hamas rejected this demand. The movement stated in its declaration:
"Armed resistance is our natural right. We can only relinquish this right once a fully independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital is established."
Hamas has maintained political and military control over Gaza since 2007, but following the attack on October 7, 2023, the movement suffered significant losses due to the large-scale war launched by Israel.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in an earlier statement, rejected the establishment of a Palestinian state, emphasizing that such a state would pose a threat to Israel's security. Netanyahu also sharply criticized the recognition plans for a Palestinian state by countries like the United Kingdom and Canada, describing the decision as a reward for Hamas.
Since the war began after the October 7 events, over 60,000 Palestinians have been killed. Much of Gaza's infrastructure has been destroyed, and millions of people are facing a humanitarian crisis.
The failure of the latest negotiations highlights the deep disagreements between the parties, particularly regarding unresolved issues such as the withdrawal of Israeli military forces from Gaza and security control.
