Hamas has declared it will not disarm unless an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital is established, rejecting a central Israeli demand for ending the conflict in Gaza. Recent indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel, aimed at achieving a ceasefire and a hostage release, ended without agreement. Mediators Qatar and Egypt, along with France and Saudi Arabia, have called for Hamas to hand over its weapons to the Palestinian Authority as part of a two-state solution, but Hamas insists on maintaining its right to armed resistance. Israeli leaders remain opposed to the creation of a Palestinian state, citing security concerns, while the ongoing war has resulted in massive destruction and loss of life in Gaza.