Hamas Signals Deep Resistance to Trump’s Gaza Peace Proposal, Warning Against External Interference

Hamas has signaled profound resistance to key elements of President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace initiative on Friday, underscoring the fragility of efforts to secure a lasting truce after two years of devastating conflict with Israel.

Speaking to AFP, Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem stated that while the group would accept international peacekeeping forces to monitor a ceasefire in Gaza, it firmly rejected any role involving interference in the enclave’s “internal affairs.”

“Our position on international forces is clear,” Qassem said. “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.”

The remarks followed an inaugural meeting of Trump’s newly formed “Board of Peace” in Washington, where officials unveiled plans for an International Stabilization Force (ISF) to be deployed in Gaza. The proposed force would include 20,000 soldiers and a new police contingent aimed at securing the territory and supporting postwar governance.

Morocco has announced its readiness to contribute police and troops, while ISF commander Major General Jasper Jeffers reported that Albania, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, and Kosovo have pledged personnel. Indonesia has indicated it could deploy up to 8,000 troops.

At the meeting, U.S.-appointed high representative for Gaza Nickolay Mladenov announced the start of recruitment for a post-Hamas Palestinian police force—a move widely interpreted as part of an effort to sideline the terrorist group’s governing authority in Gaza.

Qassem suggested Hamas could accept training for Palestinian police “within their national framework” to maintain internal security but warned against any arrangement that would undermine the group’s control or alter Gaza’s political structure.

The Board of Peace was established after an October ceasefire brokered by the Trump administration alongside regional mediators Qatar and Egypt. While that truce halted active hostilities, the latest dispute highlights persistent divisions over who will govern and secure Gaza—a critical obstacle that has repeatedly derailed attempts at achieving durable peace between Israel and Hamas.