Hamas in Lebanon is “fully committed” to the country’s ceasefire agreement with Israel, a representative of the militant Palestinian group said on Thursday, adding it has already shown co-operation with the Lebanese state by handing over three people accused of firing rockets towards Israel in late March.
“Hamas is committed to Lebanon's sovereignty, security, stability, and laws, as well as to the ceasefire decision,” said Ahmad Abdel Hadi, the group's representative in Lebanon.
The ceasefire, which ended a 14-month conflict between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, called on Lebanon's government to disarm all armed groups in the country and dismantle non-state military infrastructure.
Mr Abdel Hadi said the March rocket launch, which prompted deadly retaliatory attacks from Israel, was “an individual act carried out by several young people” and that Hamas had no prior knowledge of the plot. The unaffiliated individuals shot rockets into Israel out of “grief and in reaction to the war of extermination and massacres committed by [Israel] in Gaza after it violated the ceasefire agreement,” he added.
Three of the four accused have been surrendered to the Lebanese state, according to Mr Abdel Hadi, with co-operation continuing to find the fourth.
Lebanese authorities last week warned Hamas not to conduct operations that compromise the security or sovereignty of Lebanon, amid increasing pressure from the US to disarm militant groups outside Lebanese state control. The country’s highest security body threatened the “harshest measures” if Hamas in Lebanon were to launch attacks on Israel.
Hamas has maintained a presence in Lebanon for decades, and the country has hosted Palestinian refugees since they were displaced from their land in 1948 during the creation of Israel. The UN estimates about 250,000 Palestinians reside in refugee camps throughout Lebanon, and the state has limited authority in these areas.
Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun, who took office in January following the establishment of the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire, has vowed to bring all weapons in the country under the state's authority.
Accomplishing such a task would be unprecedented in a country historically known for hosting powerful non-state actors.
“Until now, no official body in the Lebanese state has informed us of any request regarding Palestinian weapons,” Mr Abdel Hadi said. “When the state requests it, we will respond with a unified Palestinian position.”
The Hamas representative added that the movement plans to hold dialogue among Palestinian factions in Lebanon “to prepare for the development of a unified Palestinian vision” on the issue of weapons, as well as Palestinian rights and security in Lebanon.
Hezbollah’s successive setbacks during the war with Israel – including the killing of most of its leadership – has cost the group its dominance in Lebanon’s political scene and paved the way for efforts to disarm it.
