Hamas signaled resistance Friday to key elements of President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace initiative, underscoring the fragility of efforts to secure a lasting truce after two years of devastating war with Israel. Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said the group would accept international peacekeeping forces to monitor a ceasefire in Gaza but rejected any role that would involve interference in the enclave’s “internal affairs.”
“Our position on international forces is clear. We want peacekeeping forces that monitor the ceasefire, ensure its implementation, and act as a buffer between the occupation army and our people in the Gaza Strip, without interfering in Gaza’s internal affairs“, Qassem said. The remarks came one day after the inaugural meeting of Trump’s newly formed “Board of Peace” in Washington, where officials unveiled plans for an International Stabilization Force (ISF) for Gaza.
