Palestinian factions submit response to mediators, reject disarmament proposal

Palestinian factions have submitted their official response to a revised ceasefire proposal presented by Egyptian, Qatari and Turkish mediators, with attention now turning to Israel’s position on the proposed amendments, Palestinian sources told Quds Press.

According to the sources, the response was delivered on Tuesday after several days of intensive consultations among factions participating in talks in Cairo.

The mediators have reportedly forwarded the Palestinian observations and proposed amendments to the Israeli side and are awaiting a formal response, particularly regarding clauses eight and nine of the proposal, which have emerged as key points of disagreement during the latest round of negotiations.

The sources said discussions remain complex despite continued mediation efforts aimed at bridging differences between the parties.

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According to the sources, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues to insist on two central demands: the surrender of weapons held by Palestinian factions and the dismantling of military infrastructure in the Gaza Strip.

The sources said those demands have been rejected by Hamas, the Islamic Jihad Movement and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

Palestinian factions informed the mediators that they oppose any agreement requiring the disarmament of resistance groups or the dismantling of their military structures, describing the issue as a fundamental national principle.

The sources said the factions maintained that the question of weapons cannot be separated from the broader issue of the Israeli occupation and should not be addressed independently of a comprehensive political settlement.

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