Trump announces deal for 'complete disarmament' of Hamas in Gaza, but support uncertain

Donald Trump announced on Thursday an agreement for the complete disarmament of Hamas, describing it as a critical step toward a new Palestinian government in Gaza. In a social media post, he said the government would work closely with the Board of Peace to help the Palestinian people, adding that Israel would have the security it deserves and Gaza would no longer be used as a base for terror attacks.

There was no immediate comment from Hamas or Israel. The Israeli embassy in Washington also did not respond to requests for comment on Trump's announcement.

Citing sources close to the talks, Reuters reported on Thursday that progress had been made, but it is uncertain whether the agreement will hold. An Israeli official said the proposed terms were not satisfactory, as 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. The official added that the plan under discussion did not provide a satisfactory response to these demands, and Israel conveyed its objections.

Hamas leaders are reportedly holding talks with mediators from Egypt, Qatar and Turkey on the second phase of Trump's Gaza plan, as presented by his Board of Peace, which oversees its implementation. On Thursday, a Hamas official said the group was bringing a 'positive and good' response, but did not say whether it had agreed to fully disarm – a key sticking point in negotiations over the past four months. Hamas wants Israel to commit to ending attacks on Gaza and withdrawing its forces.

A diplomat involved in the talks said the roadmap under discussion in Cairo would see authority transferred in phases to the US-backed National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), under the principle of 'one authority, one law, one weapon'. The plan includes the elimination of tunnels, arms stockpiles and weapons production facilities, with no remaining militant infrastructure in Gaza by the end of the process. The diplomat described the roadmap as based on reciprocal steps rather than trust.

However, conditions on the ground remain far from that vision. Israeli strikes on Thursday killed at least six Palestinians, including two children, according to local medics. The Israeli military has continued to expand its occupation of Gaza, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying that Israel intends to expand the area under its control to 70% of the territory. It remains unclear how many forces would be available for the planned International Stabilisation Force, and whether Israeli troops would withdraw from the territory.