LONDON: For nearly four decades, Hamas has presented itself as an armed resistance movement whose military wing is inseparable from its political identity. Since its founding in 1987, the group has fought successive wars with Israel, weathered repeated military campaigns and resisted international pressure to relinquish its weapons, arguing that armed resistance remains necessary while the Israeli occupation continues. That is why its recent declaration expressing a willingness to discuss disarmament as part of a broader political settlement has attracted global attention.

No one imagined that Hamas would voluntarily hand over its weapons and turn to politics and peace in the Gaza Strip. Even when President Trump announced his Board of Peace and…

LONDON: For nearly four decades, Hamas has presented itself as an armed resistance movement whose military wing is inseparable from its political identity. Since its founding in…