The demilitarization of Hamas is a central part of President Donald Trump’s peace plan, which was endorsed by Security Council Resolution 2803. Mediators, including from Türkiye, Egypt, and Qatar are working to convince Hamas that there is no armed future in its terroristic ruling of Gaza. And that the only way the peace plan will move forward, is if they disarm.
Hamas must not be allowed to drag the Middle East back into a cycle of violence, asserted U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz at the Security Council. “As we’ve said here month after month, Hamas cannot remain armed.”
“As we all know,” said Ambassador Waltz, Hamas “started this war with the October 7 massacre. They’ve hidden behind civilians. They’ve abused schools and hospitals. They’ve stolen and blocked aid.” They’ve turned years’ worth of humanitarian assistance into the most sophisticated military tunnel network.
“So, demilitarization must include the irreversible destruction of all military, terror, and offensive infrastructure, including tunnels and weapon production facilities,” declared Ambassador Waltz.
“Hamas does not get to negotiate its way into keeping a terrorist army.”
The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry documented Hamas-affiliated forces committing serious abuses against Palestinians in Gaza, framing some as war crimes. The Commission identified hundreds of individual cases of executions, severe physical violence by primarily Hamas affiliated groups in Gaza between 2024 and 2026. The acts included extrajudicial executions, kneecapping, maiming, rape, and torture.
Many of these punishments were made public, and in an effort to terrorize the population of Gaza, crowds, including children, were made to watch the executions. According to the report, these acts amount to war crimes, murder, and torture.
In recent weeks, Gazans and Palestinians protested Hamas’ war crimes, public executions, torture, but were subjected to an intimidation campaign by Hamas.
“We, as an international community, must continue to stand against this type of terror, we must use this platform of this Council to call it out when it’s happening,” urged Ambassador Waltz.
“But I have to ask, how much longer are we going to accept terrorists murdering Palestinians in Gaza, stealing their aid, hiding behind their children, and refusing to give up the weapons in an agreement that they agreed to that keep Gaza trapped in misery. From the perspective of the United States. Absolutely not, and no more.”