Trump claims Hamas disarmament deal, but Israeli support uncertain

Former U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that an agreement had been reached for the "complete disarmament" of Hamas in Gaza. He presented this as a crucial step towards establishing a new Palestinian government and ensuring Israel's security.

Trump stated in a social media post that the agreement would allow Gaza to be governed by a new Palestinian entity working with a "Board of Peace," thereby aiding the Palestinian people. He added that Israel would gain the security it deserves, with Gaza no longer serving as a base for terror attacks. However, neither Hamas nor Israel immediately issued statements confirming the agreement, and the Israeli embassy in Washington did not respond to requests for comment.

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This agreement is a critical step towards Gaza finally being governed by a new Palestinian government that will work closely with the Board of Peace to help the Palestinian people.

Sources close to the negotiations revealed to Reuters that while progress was made, the durability of the agreement remains uncertain. An Israeli official conveyed that the proposed terms were not satisfactory, emphasizing Israel's demand for the complete disarmament and demilitarization of Gaza as a precondition for any process. The official indicated that the current plan did not adequately address these demands, and Israel had communicated its objections.

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At the same time, Israel will have ⁠the security it deserves, with Gaza no longer used as a base for terror attacks.

Hamas leaders are reportedly engaged in discussions with mediators from Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey regarding the second phase of Trump's Gaza plan. A Hamas official expressed a "positive and good" response but did not confirm whether the group had agreed to fully disarm, a key point of contention throughout the past four months of talks. Hamas is seeking a commitment from Israel to end its attacks on Gaza and withdraw its forces.

A diplomat involved in the negotiations described the roadmap under discussion as being based on reciprocal steps rather than trust. The plan reportedly includes the elimination of tunnels, arms stockpiles, and weapons production facilities, with the ultimate goal of eradicating militant infrastructure in Gaza. The diplomat also noted that the roadmap would involve the phased transfer of authority to the U.S.-backed National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG) under the principle of "one authority, one law, one weapon."

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Israel demands the complete disarmament of Hamas, including ​the removal of weapons from Gaza and the complete demilitarisation of the strip as a precondition for ‌any process.

Despite these diplomatic efforts, the situation on the ground in Gaza remains starkly different. Israeli airstrikes on Thursday killed at least six Palestinians, including two children, according to local medics. The Israeli military continues to expand its occupation of Gaza, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stating an intention to increase Israeli control to 70% of the territory.

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the plan under discussion did not “provide a satisfactory response to these demands and Israel conveyed its objections.”