Doha, Qatar – Senior Hamas leader Khaled Meshal declared on Sunday, February 8, 2026, that the Palestinian Islamist movement will not surrender its weapons nor accept foreign intervention in Gaza, pushing back against demands from the United States and Israel.
Speaking at a conference in Doha, Meshal insisted that resistance remains a legitimate right under occupation:
“Criminalising the resistance, its weapons, and those who carried it out is something we should not accept. As long as there is occupation, there is resistance. Resistance is a right of peoples under occupation…something nations take pride in.”
Background to the Conflict
Hamas, which has waged an armed struggle against Israel for decades, launched a deadly cross-border raid on October 7, 2023, sparking the latest war. Since then, Gaza has endured devastating violence, with Israeli forces maintaining a heavy presence in the territory.
A US-brokered ceasefire is currently in its second phase, which envisions the demilitarisation of Gaza and a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces. However, Hamas has repeatedly stated that disarmament is a red line, though it has hinted at the possibility of handing over weapons to a future Palestinian governing authority.
Israeli officials estimate that Hamas still commands around 20,000 fighters and possesses approximately 60,000 Kalashnikov rifles in Gaza.
The Board of Peace Initiative
A Palestinian technocratic committee has been established to oversee governance in Gaza, operating under the Board of Peace, an initiative launched by US President Donald Trump.
Originally designed to supervise the Gaza truce and reconstruction, the board’s mandate has since expanded, raising concerns that it could rival the United Nations. Trump unveiled the initiative at the World Economic Forum in Davos last month, with leaders from nearly two dozen countries signing its founding charter.
Alongside the Board of Peace, Trump also announced the creation of a Gaza Executive Board, an advisory panel comprising international figures such as US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, as well as former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Meshal’s Warning
Meshal urged the Board of Peace to adopt a “balanced approach” that prioritizes Gaza’s reconstruction and humanitarian aid for its 2.2 million residents, while rejecting any form of foreign guardianship.
“We adhere to our national principles and reject the logic of guardianship, external intervention, or the return of a mandate in any form. Palestinians are to govern Palestinians. Gaza belongs to the people of Gaza and to Palestine. We will not accept foreign rule,” he said.
Conclusion
Meshal’s remarks highlight the deep divisions over Gaza’s future governance and security. While international actors push for demilitarisation and external oversight, Hamas insists on retaining its weapons and rejecting foreign rule, setting the stage for continued tension in the region’s fragile peace process.
