Senior Hamas official rejects US demands that Hamas disarm, claiming that only Hamas terrorists can protect Israeli towns near Gaza.

A senior Hamas terrorist on Tuesday rejected demands that the Gaza-based Islamist organization disarm, in keeping with the terms of the US-backed peace deal, arguing that it is in fact in Israel’s best interests that Hamas retain its military capacity.

Under the 20-point peace plan drafted by the Trump administration, Hamas and all other armed groups in Gaza must surrender their weapons while the Gaza Strip is demilitarized, a condition President Donald Trump has reiterated repeatedly since the first phase of the deal went into effect last month.