Hamas quickly rejected calls to abandon its military wing. Hamas leader Mahmoud Al-Zahar said: “These are conditions which are unacceptable. Why we should disarm ourselves while the Israelis are using F-16 jets Apaches, and big explosive bombs against the Palestinian people, while the Israelis are threatening our independence, while the Israelis is calling for the reoccupation of the Gaza Strip. So why, why? To satisfy America? Meeting with America will not give us any credit. This will not increase our prestige.”