(MENAFN) Hamas officials have confirmed they will skip the signing ceremony for the US-facilitated peace agreement in Egypt on Monday, according to statements by the group’s spokesperson Husam Badran. He also expressed concerns about certain aspects of the plan promoted by US President Donald Trump.

Earlier this week, both Israel and Hamas announced the cessation of hostilities that began on October 7, 2023, when Palestinian militants attacked Israel, resulting in roughly 1,200 deaths and the abduction of around 250 people. The subsequent Israeli military operations in Gaza have claimed more than 67,000 Palestinian lives, leaving the territory devastated and facing a severe humanitarian crisis, as reported by international observers.

Badran was quoted by reports stating, “Hamas will not be involved in the signing process. Only mediators and American and Israeli officials will be present.” Similarly, a spokeswoman for the Israeli leadership confirmed that “no Israeli official will attend” the summit either.

Hamas has also strongly rejected the notion of forcibly removing Palestinians from their land. As Badran told reports, “talk about expelling Palestinians, whether they are Hamas members or not, from their land is absurd and nonsense.” He described the execution of the second phase of the peace plan as involving “many complexities and difficulties.”

The previous ceasefire, which was ended unilaterally by Israel in March, left the door open for renewed military action. Israel’s leadership has suggested that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) could resume operations in Gaza if Hamas fails to disarm, while some Israeli coalition members have opposed any concessions to the group.

The agreement unveiled by President Trump in late September outlines that all 48 Israeli hostages, both living and deceased, still held by Hamas in Gaza, would be recovered. In return, Israel would release 250 Palestinians serving life sentences and 1,700 Gazans detained since 2023. Under the plan, the IDF would withdraw from certain areas of the enclave, eventually completing a full pullout. Recent reports indicate that Israeli troops have begun retreating from their positions.

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