Clause 8 Dispute: Sources Reveal Details of Gaza Resistance Weapons Talks

Palestinian sources participating in factional meetings in Cairo with mediators from Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey revealed details of a revised proposal concerning Clause 8 of the document on Gaza’s resistance weapons. While 14 of 15 clauses have been agreed upon, Clause 8 remains unresolved.

According to one factional source, the Egyptian mediator’s wording for Clause 8 was rejected by Hamas and another faction. The proposal called for a gradual collection and inventory of weapons under Palestinian leadership, involving all armed groups, and linked to the phased implementation of Trump’s plan and Israel’s gradual withdrawal. It emphasized that no Palestinian faction would be required to hand weapons to Israel.

Hamas objected to assigning expanded roles to the international stabilization force, insisting its mandate should be limited to border separation as per the Sharm El-Sheikh agreement. The movement also rejected the term “infrastructure,” fearing it could be interpreted to include hospitals, warehouses, or vehicles. Finally, Hamas opposed references to “weapon collection” or “disarmament,” preferring the phrase “addressing the weapons file.”

Hamas has submitted a revised draft of Clause 8 with its own adjustments, which mediators responded to with minor changes. The movement requested time for its leadership abroad to review and respond. Hamas spokesperson Taher al-Nounou confirmed that factions prepared a unified national response to the roadmap presented by mediators, linked to Trump’s Gaza plan.

Meanwhile, an Egyptian official ruled out direct meetings between UN envoy Nikolay Mladenov and Hamas or other factions, noting that current proposals on weapons lack acceptance from Mladenov or Israel. The Cairo meetings included Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the Popular and Democratic Fronts, the Democratic Reform Current, and Dr. Mustafa Barghouti of the Palestinian National Initiative.