Sat Aug 02 17:56:50 UTC 2025: Here’s a news article summarizing and rewriting the provided text:

**Hamas Denies Disarmament Claims, Affirms Right to Resist Israeli Occupation**

**Gaza Strip –** Hamas has vehemently denied reports that it expressed a willingness to disarm as part of ceasefire negotiations with Israel. The Palestinian group issued a statement on Saturday, asserting its “national and legal” right to resist the Israeli occupation until full Palestinian national rights are restored, including the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.

The denial comes in response to remarks attributed to U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, who reportedly told relatives of Israeli captives in Gaza that Hamas was “prepared to be demilitarized.” Hamas dismissed these claims, emphasizing that its resistance and weapons are justified as long as the occupation continues.

Hamas had previously criticized Witkoff’s visit to a U.S. and Israeli-backed aid distribution site run by GHF in Gaza, calling it a “staged show” aimed at misleading the public about the humanitarian crisis. The group highlighted the dire situation in Gaza, exacerbated by the Israeli blockade and the high number of Palestinian deaths at GHF-run aid sites, where over 1,300 people have died while trying to receive food since May.

Witkoff’s alleged comments on disarmament and the larger situation in Gaza come as international pressure mounts to recognize a Palestinian state. The United Kingdom, following France, is considering recognition in September. At a recent United Nations conference, numerous countries, along with the EU and the Arab League, backed a plan to revive the two-state solution. This plan called for Hamas to relinquish control of Gaza and hand over its weapons to the Palestinian Authority, aligning with the goal of an independent Palestinian state.

Read More