Palestinian camp in Lebanon begins handing over weapons: What happens next?

The surprise handover of weapons from a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon on Thursday has received a mix of praise and skepticism.

The symbolic but significant event in the Burj al-Barajneh camp in Beirut’s southern suburbs comes amid Lebanon’s efforts to disarm all militant groups in the country, including Hezbollah.

A small batch of weapons was handed over to the Lebanese army in what was announced as the first step in a broader process to disarm factions across Lebanon’s 12 Palestinian refugee camps.

With implementation supposed to begin in June but delayed due to divisions among Palestinian groups and the Israel-Iran war, Thursday’s move came suddenly, and has sparked confusion, debate, and mixed interpretations from both Lebanese and Palestinian officials.

The scene, which saw weapons packed in bags and loaded into a small truck, has raised more questions than it answered.

Why did this happen?

The weapons handover is part of a broader agreement that emerged from a high-level summit held in May 2025 between Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and visiting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

That meeting produced a framework addressing multiple contentious issues: from Palestinian civil and political rights in Lebanon to opposing their permanent displacement from Palestine, and, crucially, the gradual surrender of weapons held inside refugee camps.

For the Lebanese government, this was about reaffirming state sovereignty. Disarming non-state actors has long been a central but unresolved issue in Lebanese politics, and critics say these arms undermine Lebanon’s stability and have not served the Palestinian cause.

Officials insist that this disarmament plan is not symbolic but the beginning of a serious effort to place all weapons under the exclusive control of the state.

By convention, Lebanese military and security forces are not allowed to enter the camps and often coordinate with Palestinian security committees.

Conflicting messages, mixed reactions

Reports of the weapons handover in Burj al-Barajneh came out just hours before the Lebanese army began entering the camp to collect arms, with the media and civilians caught off guard.

Shortly after the handover, Lebanese officials, including Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, praised the effort, as did spokesperson for the Palestinian presidency Nabil Abu Rudeineh.

US envoy Thomas Barrack, who is mediating efforts between Lebanon and Israel, hailed the move, calling it a "bold step" and "a great achievement."

Inside the camps, particularly among the Palestinian factions, reactions were far more divided.

Initial statements from some Fatah officials framed the handover as the beginning of a national disarmament campaign. But later, others clarified that the weapons belonged specifically to Shadi al-Far, a former Fatah security official who had been dismissed from the group in July and arrested Wednesday night by the Lebanese army at a hotel in Beirut.

These weapons, they insisted, were "illegal" and did not represent Fatah’s broader arsenal, let alone that of all Palestinian factions.

Fatah, the leading group of President Abbas’ Palestinian Authority, stressed that it would retain its light arms.

What arms were handed over?

According to military sources, the weapons confiscated by the Lebanese army included medium and heavy arms, such as anti-aircraft guns, 107 mm rockets, and other equipment.

These were allegedly connected to al-Far and confiscated following his arrest. The handover took place without any reported tensions and was coordinated between the Lebanese army and the Palestinian security committees.

Despite the limited scope of the transfer, Lebanese officials insist this was a crucial first step.

A spokesperson from the Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue Committee led by Ramiz Dimashqiyeh confirmed that more disarmament phases are planned.

Other camps, particularly in southern Lebanon like Al-Buss in Tyre, are expected to follow suit in the coming weeks.

Hamas, other factions push back

Rivals of Fatah have pushed back against the disarmament plan, at least publicly.

Hamas spokesperson Walid Kilani stated that what took place was merely an internal Fatah matter and not a genuine attempt at disarming the camps. He described the event as a "media stunt" designed to appease international pressure, questioning how such a small load of arms could be portrayed as the beginning of a sweeping disarmament plan.

The Palestinian group has been engaged in a more than two-year war with Israel in the Gaza Strip, where Hamas is also under pressure to disarm.

Hamas and other factions argue that while they are not categorically opposed to discussing disarmament, it must happen through a structured and inclusive political dialogue.

They maintain that any solution involving weapons in the camps must also address the larger context of Palestinian marginalisation in Lebanon, with decades of restricted rights, social exclusion, and economic hardship.

But one Fatah member contradicted Kilani’s statement, telling local media on Thursday that Hamas had too handed over its weapons in Burj al-Barajneh "in the dark."

What comes next?

As it stands, the disarmament process is both politically sensitive and logistically complicated.

With varying narratives and levels of buy-in from different factions, the success of the initiative depends on sustained dialogue, confidence-building measures, and guarantees that Palestinian rights will not be sacrificed in the name of security.

Lebanese officials insist that disarmament will continue in all of Lebanon, and Fatah has reiterated their willingness to comply with the broader agreement.

There are major concerns, however, over Ain al-Hilweh, Lebanon’s largest, most populated and most volatile Palestinian camp situated near the southern port city of Sidon.

Long marred by clashes between rival Palestinian and extremist Islamist factions, authorities may reportedly leave this hotspot till last to avoid spiralling into violence, which could prove costly for both sides.