Hamas Is Still at War With Itself Over Terms of Trump's Peace Plan [View all]

To the world, Hamas said it has accepted major parts of President Trump’s peace plan. Internally, Hamas remains bitterly divided over how to proceed.

On Friday, the U.S.-designated terrorist group said it was willing to release hostages and hand over Gaza, a landmark statement boosting Trump’s push for an end to the war. But Hamas used hedged language that some observers saw as problematic to clinching a final peace.

A big reason is that Hamas hasn’t reached consensus about disarming and under what conditions to let the hostages go, said Arab officials from countries mediating with Hamas. Those are the two most important demands in Trump’s plan.

Khalil Al-Hayya, Hamas’s top negotiator, and several other senior political officials support accepting the proposal despite significant reservations, Arab mediators said. But those Hamas officials, based outside Gaza, have limited sway over the group’s armed wing, which remains in the enclave.

Ezzedin al-Haddad, who rose to lead Hamas in Gaza after Israel killed Yahya and Mohammed Sinwar, has told mediators he is open to compromise. Mediators said Haddad is willing to give up rockets and other offensive weapons to Egypt and the United Nations for storage but wants to retain small arms such as assault rifles, which Hamas considers defensive.

WSJ