DaysofPal- Hamas has firmly rejected a U.S.-backed proposal to deploy an international military force in the Gaza Strip to replace Israeli occupation troops, describing the idea as “unacceptable and illegitimate.”
Musa Abu Marzouk, a senior member of the Hamas political bureau, said in an interview with Al Jazeera Mubasher that any foreign force operating in Gaza without Palestinian approval would be considered a continuation of occupation under another name.
“The presence of a military force that replaces the Zionist occupying army in Gaza is unacceptable,” Abu Marzouk stated, emphasizing that the security arrangements in Gaza must remain under Palestinian control.
According to Abu Marzouk, mediators had insisted that the proposed international force be established through a United Nations Security Council resolution.
However, he noted that neither the Israeli occupation nor the United States appears willing to pursue such a legal framework, suggesting political complications around the initiative.
He also revealed that Hamas has documented more than 190 violations of the ceasefire by Israeli forces since its implementation on October 11, accusing the Israeli occupation of undermining stability in Gaza despite the truce.
Abu Marzouk reiterated that any future security framework in Gaza must involve a Palestinian-led force under the supervision of the Gaza Strip Administration Committee, in accordance with the internal Palestinian consensus.
He further clarified that the movement has not yet entered the second phase of talks, which would address the issue of arms in Gaza.
“The Israeli occupation did not win the war against Gaza,” he said, adding “After two years of genocidal war, the Palestinian people have not raised the white flag.”
In a notable shift, Abu Marzouk confirmed that Hamas has agreed for a minister affiliated with the Palestinian Authority to take over the administration of Gaza as part of efforts to advance national unity.
Meanwhile, the U.S.-based Axios website reported that a draft U.S. resolution will soon be discussed among members of the UN Security Council. The proposed resolution aims to authorize an “international security force” to enter Gaza by January 2026.
According to the draft, the so-called “Peace Mission” would operate until at least the end of 2027.
The mission’s mandate would include overseeing Gaza’s demilitarization, the destruction of military infrastructure, and ensuring the permanent disarmament of non-state armed groups.
A U.S. official cited by Axios described the proposed force as an “executive force, not a peacekeeping force,” underscoring Washington’s intention to grant it broad operational authority rather than a passive monitoring role.
Hamas’s rejection of the proposal sets the stage for renewed political friction between Palestinian factions, regional mediators, and international powers seeking a post-war security framework for Gaza.
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