Palestinian Factions Begin Weapons Handover to Lebanese Army in Beirut Camps

Palestinian factions in Lebanon began handing over weapons from refugee camps to the Lebanese army as part of a government plan to establish state control over arms. This initiative, which started in the Burj al-Barajneh camp in Beirut, follows an agreement reached during a May 21 summit between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, emphasizing Lebanese sovereignty and exclusive control over weapons. The handover is seen as a preliminary step toward broader disarmament efforts, including potential pressure on Hezbollah to relinquish its arsenal. While factions such as Hamas maintain that their weapons are linked to the Palestinian cause and not part of this internal disarmament, the process aims to improve security and living conditions in the camps under Lebanese law. A joint Lebanese-Palestinian committee has been formed to oversee the implementation and humanitarian aspects of the disarmament. Additional rounds of weapons handovers are expected in the coming weeks across other camps, although some Palestinian factions' cooperation remains uncertain.