Senior Hamas official says Israel must withdraw from Gaza before movement's disarmament

A top Hamas official said that the Palestinian movement will not take any steps toward disarmament before Israeli forces withdraw from Gaza. 

Ghazi Hamad, a member of Hamas’ negotiating delegation, told Al Jazeera that the issue surrounding disarmament is connected  to Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza and the territory’s overall reconstruction.

He added that Israel would have no role in the disarmament process, an it is instead set to be carried out by a Palestinian national committee.