Hamas has reiterated that it will not consider disarmament unless a fully sovereign Palestinian state is established, in reaction to one of Israel's main demands during ceasefire negotiations regarding Gaza.
The Palestinian militant group stated it was addressing comments attributed to US President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, who claimed that Hamas had indicated a willingness to disarm.
Israel views the disarmament of Hamas as one of several essential requirements for any resolution to the ongoing conflict.
Discussions between Israel and Hamas aimed at reaching a ceasefire and facilitating the release of hostages came to a standstill last week.
Recently, Arab countries have urged Hamas to disarm and relinquish control of Gaza, following announcements from several Western nations—including France and Canada—indicating they plan to recognize a Palestinian state. The UK has stated it would follow suit if Israel does not fulfill specific conditions by September.
Hamas, classified as a terrorist organization by the US, UK, and EU, stated in its announcement that it could not forfeit its right to "resistance and its weapons" unless an "independent, fully sovereign Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital" is established.
Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) warned on Friday that fighting in Gaza would continue without pause if negotiations to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas do not progress quickly.
On Saturday, the family of hostage Evyatar David spoke out after Hamas released a video showing him malnourished and shirtless in a poorly lit tunnel.
They accused Hamas of deliberately starving him as part of a propaganda strategy and urged the Israeli government and the United States to make every effort to rescue him.
Witkoff has been in Israel while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's administration is under increasing pressure due to worsening humanitarian conditions in Gaza.
United Nations agencies have warned of man-made mass starvation in Gaza, attributing the blame to Israel, which oversees the entry of all supplies into the region.
Israel, however, maintains that there are no limitations on aid deliveries and asserts there is "no starvation."
On Saturday, Witkoff met with families of Israeli hostages who remain in Gaza while in Tel Aviv.
Video shared online showed the Washington negotiator being welcomed with applause and urgent requests for assistance from supporters of the hostages' families as he arrived at a square that has become a hub for protests.
Witkoff stated that peace initiatives should concentrate on resolving the conflict and securing the return of all hostages, rather than pursuing what he termed a partial agreement.
During his visit, Witkoff met with Netanyahu on Thursday and inspected a heavily criticized aid distribution site in southern Gaza on Friday.
According to the latest United Nations statistics, at least 1,373 Palestinians have died while trying to obtain food since late May.
The UN reports that most of these fatalities have occurred near distribution sites run by Israeli and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) as a result of Israeli military actions.
Israel has accused Hamas of provoking disorder around these sites and claims its forces do not intentionally fire upon civilians.
In reaction to the Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in approximately 1,200 fatalities and 251 individuals being taken hostage, the Israeli military initiated a campaign in Gaza.
Since then, over 60,000 individuals have been killed in Gaza, and the territory's Hamas-run health ministry reports that 169 people, including 93 children, have succumbed to malnutrition.
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