Hamas official Osama Hamdan speaks during a press conference, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Beirut, Lebanon, June 4, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir

Hamas has once again rejected calls to disarm, warning against “foreign interference in Palestinian affairs” as the terrorist group’s senior officials met with Turkish leaders to discuss the next phase of the US-backed peace plan for Gaza.

In an interview with the Yemeni news outlet Al-Masirah on Tuesday, Hamas Political Bureau member Osama Hamdan reiterated that the Islamist group will never hand over its weapons to foreign powers.

“The resistance rejects any foreign attempt to disarm us or seize the weapons the occupation failed to take,” the terrorist leader said. “The idea of surrendering our arms is one the resistance will never accept.”

“In the second phase of the Gaza agreement, the guarantees must be clearer, and the commitments more detailed,” Hamdan continued. “The Zionist enemy does not abide by the agreement. Israel’s failure to open the [humanitarian] crossings signals its intention to resume aggression against the Gaza Strip.”

On Wednesday, senior Hamas officials met with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Ankara to discuss the ongoing ceasefire and coordinate the next steps in advancing the second phase of US President Donald Trump’s peace plan to end the two-year conflict.

“The Americans want to impose hegemony on the region, with the Zionist entity [Israel] as its foundation,” Hamdan said during the interview. “Disarming the resistance would give Israel absolute control over the entire region.”

“The resistance is capable of continuing the fight, and I am confident the outcome of this conflict will be the demise of this entity,” he continued. 

According to media reports, Hamas officials told Turkish counterparts they had fulfilled their ceasefire commitments, but accused Israel of violating the deal while blocking progress to the next phase of the agreement.

Since the start of the ceasefire in October, both sides have repeatedly accused each other of violations. Israel has carried out several operations targeting terrorist operatives as the Palestinian group ramps up efforts to reassert control over the war-torn enclave.

According to the US-backed peace plan, the second phase is expected to establish an interim administrative authority — a so-called “technocratic government” — deploy an International Stabilization Force (ISF) to take over security in Gaza, and begin the demilitarization of Hamas.

However, efforts to advance the ceasefire deal have stalled, with no agreement on crucial next steps, including the start of reconstruction in the enclave and the deployment of the ISF.

Turkey, a longtime backer of Hamas, has been trying to expand its role in Gaza’s post-war reconstruction efforts, which experts warn could potentially strengthen Hamas’s terrorist infrastructure.

While Turkey insists on participating in the ISF, Israeli officials have repeatedly rejected any Turkish involvement in post-war Gaza.

Turkey has even sought to shield Hamas from disarmament by pushing for the terrorist group to hand over its weapons to the Palestinian Authority or place them in secure international storage, rather than requiring it to disarm.

Israeli officials have rejected these options as unacceptable, arguing they would allow the terrorist group to maintain its influence in Gaza, which Hamas has ruled for nearly two decades.

Under phase one of Trump’s peace plan, Hamas was required to release all remaining hostages, both living and deceased, who were kidnapped by Hamas-led Palestinian terrorists during the group’s invasion of and massacre across southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. 

In exchange, Israel freed thousands of Palestinian prisoners, including many serving life sentences for terrorism, and partially withdrew its military forces in Gaza to a newly drawn “Yellow Line,” roughly dividing the enclave between east and west.

According to the ceasefire plan, the Israeli army is required to withdraw further as the disarmament process unfolds. However, Israel has made clear that it will not pull back until Hamas disarms and other conditions are met.

Currently, the Israeli military controls 53 percent of Gaza’s territory, and Hamas has moved to reestablish control over the other 47 percent. However, the vast majority of the Gazan population is located in the Hamas-controlled half, where the Islamist group has been imposing a brutal crackdown.

Since the ceasefire took effect two months ago, Hamas has targeted Palestinians who it labeled as “lawbreakers and collaborators with Israel,” sparking widespread clashes and violence as the group moves to seize weapons and eliminate any opposition.

Containers are seen in the Port of Vigo, Spain, March 13, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Nacho Doce

The US is weighing potential penalties against Spanish-linked shipping after Spain denied port entry to cargo vessels transporting US weapons to Israel, escalating a rare maritime and diplomatic dispute between two NATO allies.

The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC), an independent agency of the US government, opened an investigation late last year into Spain for refusing to allow at least three cargo vessels — two of which were US-flagged — into its ports.

Two of the three incidents from 2024 noted by the commission involved vessels run by the Danish shipping giant Maersk in November. The other occurred in May, when Spanish officials said they refused permission for the Danish Marianne Danica ship because it was “carrying weapons to Israel” and added they will not allow ships carrying arms for Israel to stop at its ports moving forward.

Last Friday, the FMC released a brief update on the “restrictive port practices of the government of Spain,” noting that “the policy behind those refusals remains in place.” The update went on to explain that the agency will continue its investigation, which could result in the US fining Spain up to $2.3 million per voyage if the probe concludes that the country has interfered with commerce.

“Based on the information obtained up to this point, it appears that the laws or regulations adopted, followed, or enforced by Spain are likely creating general or special conditions unfavorable to shipping in US foreign trade,” the FMC update stated. “Accordingly, the commission must also examine, and now seeks public input on, what remedial actions may be appropriate to meet or adjust those apparent conditions. The commission may weigh a range of potential remedies, including limitations on cargo, refusing entry to vessels operating under Spain’s flag, or imposing fines up to the current inflation-adjusted limit of $2,304,629 per voyage on Spanish-flagged vessels.”

The FMC also posted a more detailed notice, which was published in the Federal Register this week, explaining its concerns with Spain.

In September, Madrid announced “a multi-faceted policy aimed at halting the flow of certain cargo
bound for or coming from Israel through air or marine transport,” the agency explained. “Measures it announced include banning ships and aircraft carrying weapons bound for Israel or tankers carrying fuel for use by the Israeli military from using Spanish ports and airspace.”

The agency went on to outline some of the actions it can take to combat actions it described as creating “unfavorable” conditions for US shipping.

“Remedies the commission can implement to adjust or meet unfavorable conditions to shipping in the foreign trade of the United States include adopting regulations restricting voyages to or from US ports, imposing per voyage fees, limiting amounts or types of cargo, or taking ‘any other action the commission finds necessary and appropriate to adjust or meet any condition unfavorable to shipping the foreign trade of the United States,’” the FMC said.

Spain has been one of the fiercest critics of Israel since the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, invasion of and massacre across south Israel, amid the ensuing war in Gaza.

In one of its recent attempts to curb Israel’s defensive campaign against Hamas, Madrid decided to block US military planes and ships from using Spanish bases to transport weapons and equipment to Jerusalem.

Spain also unveiled an arms embargo and a ban on certain Israeli goods earlier this year. The Spanish government announced it would bar entry to individuals involved in what it called a “genocide against Palestinians,” block Israel-bound ships and aircraft carrying weapons from Spanish ports and airspace, and enforce an embargo on products from Israeli communities in the West Bank.

Spain has additionally canceled a €700 million ($825 million) deal for Israeli-designed rocket launchers, as the government conducts a broader review to systematically phase out Israeli weapons and technology from its armed forces.

“It is deeply concerning that Spain, a NATO member, has chosen to potentially limit US operations and to turn its back on Israel on the same day six individuals were killed in Jerusalem. These measures embolden terrorists,” a US State Department spokesperson told Reuters in September, on the same day as a Palestinian terrorist attack targeting Israelis.

Last December, FMC commissioner Louis Sola argued that Spain’s actions have a negative effect on the global system of trade, not just Israel.

“Disruptions to international trade systems not only threaten global shipping networks, but also compromise the consumer markets they support. As a member of the international maritime community, Spain is obligated to adhere to international maritime norms,” Sola said. “Reports that the government of Spain has denied access to certain US-flagged vessels raise serious concerns. Section 19 of the Merchant Marine Act, 1920, 46 U.S.C. § 42101, authorizes the commission to identify and offset unfavorable shipping conditions in US foreign trade that result from the laws or regulations of a foreign government.”

A general view shows the cityscape of Tel Aviv at sunset, Israel, Jan. 24, 2024. Photo: Tyrone Siu via Reuters Connect

Young people, Jewish and non-Jewish, who visit Israel to intern at the hottest businesses and startups are more likely to continue their engagement with the country than those who participate in “traditional” identity-based programs, a new study by TAMID Group, a business nonprofit, says.

TAMID Group has been matching thousands of college students with companies in Israel — a major startup hub, especially in the hi-tech industry — since 2008. Wix, Sarona Ventures, and Viola, are just some of the businesses that have played host, and TAMID argues that they forge stronger ties to the Jewish state than standard programs focused on heritage.

According to TAMID’s survey, 70 percent of its alumni “report a meaningful, sustained connection” to Israel,” 92 percent said they retain a “strong understanding” of it, and 92 percent said they “would feel confident” being employed there again. Additionally, a strong 30 percent of TAMID alumni currently work for Israeli “partners and firms,” 40 percent are actively pursuing job opportunities there, and 52 percent have visited again since their original internship.

“While a lot of energy and focus is on protests and encampments, the next generation of global leaders aren’t taking their cues from attention-speaking demonstrations,” said Yoni Heilman, TAMID Group’s chief executive officer. “Engaging them on Israel’s entrepreneurial interests — rather than through traditional advocacy or identity programs — develop lasting engagement with Israel well into adulthood.”

Last week, TAMID described the results as an encouraging sign that Israel can be a hit with American youth even as higher numbers of young people report holding negative views of Israel amid rancorous debates over the Israel-Hamas war, Zionism, and the future of both the Israeli and Palestinian peoples. The group cited a recent Harvard-Harris poll showing that 60 percent of voting Generation Z’ers side with Hamas and another Carnegie Endowment report which found a higher affinity for the Palestinians in Generation Z than in other age demographics.

“The findings of the study are unmistakably clear: we have a breakthrough model to encourage the new generation to connect with Israel in a new and exciting way,” Heilman added. “When students see Israel as a source of innovation, opportunity, and real professional growth, they connect with it on their own terms, and with far greater conviction. The Jewish community should expand this model to other industries and sectors — not just business — to promote lasting engagement for young people with Israel.”

A number of nonprofits are seeking ways to promote positive attitudes about Israel, with many aiming to rally the Jewish diaspora around their ancient homeland.

In November, the Birthright Israel Foundation, which has afforded hundreds of thousands of Jewish youth all expenses paid trips to Israel, announced a new “Generations Campaign” to raise $900 million that will fund 200,000 more trips over the next five years.

The organization, which has brought more than 900,000 participants from 70 countries to Israel, announced the new effort to coincide with the commemoration of its 25th anniversary, noting that it aims to raise $650 million from US donors and secure $250 million in “legacy and planned giving commitments to ensure Birthright Israel’s strength and impact for generations to come.”

Additionally, Hillel International and the Matanel Foundation have founded the Matanel Fellowship for Global Jewish Leadership, a 12-month program which aims to foster their “sense of responsibility” for the worldwide Jewish community.

All of the programs are up against a challenging moment for the Jewish community in which antisemitic hate crimes see year-on-year increases and anti-Zionists are mobilizing to sever the Jewish people’s connection to their ancient homeland.

According to the results of a recent survey commissioned by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and the Jewish Federations of North America, a majority of American Jews now consider antisemitism to be a normal and endemic aspect of life in the US. A striking 57 percent reported believing “that antisemitism is now a normal Jewish experience,” the organizations disclosed, while 55 percent said they have personally witnessed or been subjected to antisemitic hatred, including physical assaults, threats, and harassment, in the past year.

This new reality, precipitated by Hamas’s Oct.7, 2023, massacre across southern Israel, has effected a psychological change in American Jews, prompting firearms sales, disaster planning, and “plans to flee the country.’

Follow Dion J. Pierre @DionJPierre.