Bowen: Plan for Hamas to disarm faces big obstacles, yet it offers rare hope for Gaza

There are many reasons why it might not work. At the same time, it is potentially a rare chink of light in a bleak picture. Hamas has never agreed to disarm before now. Handled carefully and well, there is a chance now to make diplomatic progress.A bargain lies at the heart of the new proposition for Hamas to disarm in Gaza.The idea is that as Hamas hands over its weapons, Israel pulls out of the 70% of Gaza that it occupies.That may sound simple, but the realities of politics, war, zero trust, the deaths of thousands and the destruction of Gaza make the process very complicated.Life in Gaza is catastrophic for well over 2 million Palestinian civilians who are living in desperate conditions. For most, Israel has destroyed their homes and their livelihoods. Israel killed more than 70,000 Palestinians during the war, and more than 1,000 more since the ceasefire, according to the Hamas-run health ministry whose figures are seen as reliable by the UN. Unicef says that Israel has killed more than 20,000 children since 7 October 2023, with at least 1,000 babies among the dead and wounded.Much of Gaza is rubble. It is not just the damage caused by Israel Defense Forces (IDF) military oper...