Hamas says there will be no handover of weapons before a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

Hamas negotiating delegation member Ghazi Hamad told Al Jazeera that any discussion of disarmament is inseparable from Israel’s withdrawal and the reconstruction of Gaza.

He added that Israel will play no role in any future disarmament process, saying it would instead be overseen by a Palestinian national committee.

“We will not take any action regarding disarmament before Israel withdraws from the Gaza Strip,” Hamad said.

The remarks directly contradict claims that Hamas has already agreed to immediate disarmament under externally imposed arrangements.