3 August 2026 | 11:00 CAT
3-minute read

Gaza disarmament, settler violence and pressure on aid workers

The reported Hamas disarmament framework, escalating settler violence in the occupied West Bank and a growing international crackdown on Gaza advocates were among the issues highlighted by Moulana Ebrahim Moosa during Radio Islam International’s Palestine Report.

Discussing reports that Hamas has agreed to a framework involving the surrender of some weapons, Moulana Moosa said the movement itself had presented the arrangement as a painful concession made under extreme circumstances. He noted that Hamas officials reasoned the move was intended to ease the suffering of Gaza’s population and secure relief after months of Israel’s devastating war on the enclave.

According to Hamas figures, the proposal relates primarily to heavy weapons and is tied to conditions including an Israeli withdrawal from much of the territory it currently occupies and the simultaneous disarmament of armed groups operating alongside Israel.

Moulana Moosa said many Palestinians view the development with deep unease.

“The trajectory does make one feel uneasy because it’s always been the case where when one hands over one’s strategic cards, it just leads the Israelis or any aggressor to demand greater capitulation,” he said.

The developments come as Gaza remains in the grip of a humanitarian catastrophe. United Nations agencies continue to warn of severe shortages of food, medicine and fuel, while large parts of the enclave have been destroyed during Israel’s onslaught. Aid organisations say civilians continue to bear the overwhelming burden of the conflict.

Moulana Moosa referred to Palestinian analysts who argue that the old model of armed resistance has become increasingly difficult to sustain after Israel expanded its military control over large parts of Gaza. He said this does not mean Palestinians have abandoned their national aspirations, but rather that they are being forced to rethink strategy in a dramatically altered reality.

At the same time, he stressed that many Palestinians reject describing the current moment as voluntary surrender. He said the movement’s leaders had suffered enormous personal losses and had expected stronger support from fellow Palestinians, Arab governments and the broader Muslim world.

Turning to the occupied West Bank, Moulana Moosa discussed recent settler attacks on Palestinian villages and an interview broadcast by the BBC with residents of the settlement of Havat Gilad. He highlighted the remarks of a settler representative who openly defended collective punishment against Palestinians.

“One Jewish life is worth the life of 10 million Palestinians,” the settler said during the interview, adding, “I know it’s racist, but this is the truth.”

Moulana Moosa said the exchange shocked many observers because it revealed an explicit form of racial supremacy that is often denied when criticism is directed at Israeli settlement policy. The settlements are considered illegal under international law, although Israel disputes this.

He also drew attention to a coordinated campaign against humanitarian workers and Gaza advocates in several countries. Recent cases include arrests and investigations involving Palestinian activists and charity figures in Europe and elsewhere.

“This speaks again to a wider coordinated campaign to deter and punish everyone who stood with Gaza, either by raising their voice, providing aid or offering support during the war,” he said.

Moulana Moosa said that the pressure on activists, aid workers and pro-Palestinian campaigners cannot be viewed in isolation from the broader political struggle surrounding Gaza. He suggested that governments and lobbying networks are increasingly seeking to limit humanitarian and advocacy initiatives linked to Palestine.

Listen to the Palestine Report with Moulana Ebrahim Moosa on Sabaahul Muslim, presented by Moulana Habib Bobat.