MEMRI reported that the Saudi government daily Al Jazirah published an article calling upon Hamas to surrender in order to prevent hell from breaking loose.
By Rachel Avraham
According to a recent report in MEMRI, “In an October 21, 2025 article in the Saudi government daily Al-Jazirah, the daily’s chief editor, Khalid bin Hamad Al-Malik, , argued that, although Trump’s plan for ending the war favors Israel, Hamas must accept it and surrender its arms, otherwise it will face hell.”
MEMRI continued, “A-Malik noted that the “escapade” of Hamas’s October 7 attack only harmed the Palestinian cause, and that, after two years of war that exacted a heavy toll on the Palestinians, the plan for ending the war likewise yields no political gains for the Palestinians, neither the establishment of a state nor the right to self-determination.”
According to MEMRI, “Israel, on the other hand, managed to achieve several goals: it neutralized Iran and shattered its nuclear “dream,” occupied areas in Lebanon and diminished Hizbullah’s hegemony there, and took over parts of Syria and formed influence zones in that country. Given this reality in the region, Al-Malik concluded, and given that the war all but eliminated Hamas, its leadership and its support-base, this organization has no choice but to surrender and disarm, even if it finds this humiliating.”
Al Malik wrote, “”…What we read in the [peace] plan presented by Trump serves the Israeli side and meets its demands, including the simultaneous release of the 20 living hostages, the return of the bodies [of the hostages who were killed], and the disarmament of Hamas while preventing it from playing any role in the [future] administration and control of the Gaza Strip. This, in exchange for the release of fewer than 2,000 [Palestinian] prisoners, some of whom will be expelled from the Palestinian territories. [Moreover,] Israel is the one who chose which [Palestinian prisoners] to release from the list submitted by Hamas. It did not accept all the names [Hamas submitted] or the number [of prisoners Hamas wanted released]. [Moreover,] it retained a security presence in buffer zones… as well as the right to close the border crossings and the ability to prevent the entry of food supplies whenever it wishes…”
According to Al Malik, “”[Furthermore], the plan does not explicitly address any future Palestinian achievements, such as the establishment of a state or the right to self-determination. This indicates that the October 7 ‘escapade’ [only] harmed the Palestinian cause and set it back… After two years of exhausting war, in which Hamas and the [Palestinian] Islamic Jihad leaders were killed along with thousands of innocent civilians, the [plan to end the war] makes no mention of a Palestinian state or the peace Palestinians aspire to. It only mentions the right of both Palestinians and Israelis to live in prosperity while preserving their basic human rights, ensuring their security and maintaining their dignity. These are vague statements.”
Al Malik continued, “This leads us to conclude that we face a future shrouded in uncertainty in terms of the Palestinian cause, and that, until peace is achieved in this region – which has been volatile since ancient historical times – the Palestinians must implement what is outlined in the plan, even under duress, as long as it has been agreed upon by both the Palestinian and the Israeli sides. True, the plan is worded very concisely, but it reflects the American-Israeli conception of peace based on ending any future role for Hamas. Therefore, Hamas has no chance to backtrack or to delay the surrender of its weapons, for [if it does] it will face hell. This is a firm American decision that must be taken seriously…”
Al Malik concluded, “Netanyahu claims to have changed the face of the Middle East with the outcome of his war on several fronts. In reality, he has not changed the face of the Middle East, but he has reduced Hizbullah’s hegemony over Lebanon, neutralized Iran, eliminated Hamas, established influence zones in Syria in coordination with the Druze, captured territories in Syria and Lebanon and shattered Iran’s nuclear dreams. That is the picture. Hamas, which has lost its external support, its weapons and its leaders, and is besieged in a small part of the Gaza Strip, has no choice but to surrender, even if [its finds this] humiliating, and hand over its weapons as per the plan it has agreed to. It should hurry in surrendering its arms before an even greater disaster befalls it.”
