Hamas internal rift over hostages, weapons could pose challenges to Trump’s Gaza peace plan: report

A rift between Hamas’ political leadership and its armed wing in Gaza could complicate the execution of President Trump’s peace plan that would end the ongoing war with Israel, according to a report.

The Palestinian terrorist organization’s diplomatic arm released a statement on Friday saying that it tentatively agreed to free Israeli hostages in accordance with Trump’s plan to end the war in Gaza — though it sought further talks on key sticking points.

But wide swaths of the faction remain opposed to two key demands in the Trump peace plan — disarmament and the release of nearly 50 Israeli hostages — both living and the remains of those killed — within 72 hours.

Arab mediators told the Wall Street Journal on Friday that there is a clear division between Hamas negotiators that are based outside of Gaza and the group’s armed wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades.

While the negotiators are inclined to accept the Trump plan with reservations, the group’s militant wing remains adamantly opposed to surrendering its weapons and freeing hostages, the Journal reported.

Hamas would only consider freeing hostages if there was a clear-cut pledge from Israel to withdraw its forces from the Gaza Strip, the report stated.

Khalil Al-Hayya, Hamas’ most senior negotiator, and several other members of the group’s politburo back the Trump plan despite several major reservations, according to Arab officials who spoke to the Journal.

But those Hamas figures have limited ability to influence the group’s armed wing on the ground in Gaza, the Journal reported.

Ezzedin al-Haddad, who became Hamas leader following Israel’s killing of commanders Yahya and Mohammed Sinwar, has indicated to mediators that he is open to compromise, particularly over the disarmament issue.

According to the Journal, Haddad has said he would be willing to relinquish rockets and other offensive weapons by having them transferred to Egypt and the United Nations for storage.

But Haddad wants Hamas to retain small arms such as assault rifles, which the group considers to be defensive weapons, the Journal reported.

Even if the Hamas leadership found consensus over the disarmament issue, there’s no guarantee that they could enforce compliance among rank-and-file membership if there is a widespread perception that the group has signed on to what is effectively a surrender, according to the Journal.

Hamas’ statement on Friday welcoming Trump’s peace plan was deliberately vague and ambiguous as it left the group wiggle room to back out if certain conditions weren’t met.

The group on Friday signaled its “approval to release all prisoners of the occupation…with the provision of appropriate field conditions for carrying out the exchange process.”

The “field conditions” in this case is a reference to a removal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip.

It is unclear whether Israel would agree to end the war without ironclad commitment from Hamas to surrender its arms.

On X, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) called the reply “unfortunately predictable. A classic ‘Yes, but.’”

“No disarmament, keeping Gaza under Palestinian control, and tying hostage release to negotiations, along with other problems,” Graham wrote.

“This is, in essence, a rejection by Hamas of President Trump’s ‘take it or leave it’ proposal.”

Analysts told the Journal the statement may be a bid for time as Hamas tries to reconcile long-running rifts between its political and military wings.

The war began when Hamas carried out deadly attacks in southern Israel and abducted roughly 250 people nearly two years ago.

On the ground, Hamas is degraded but fighting on. The armed wing has lost most senior leaders and thousands of experienced fighters, the Journal reported.

Newer recruits lack training, and Israel’s tightened control over Gaza has strained Hamas’s communications and coordination.

To adapt, Hamas devolved command to smaller units that act independently, Arab mediators and Israeli military officials said.

Those cells rely on explosives, snipers and rocket-propelled grenades, Israeli officials told the paper.

Haddad and other leaders exercise limited control over these units, a problem compounded by a cash crunch that has hindered salary payments, the Journal previously reported.