Trump Announces Historic Agreement for Hamas Disarmament Amid Uncertainty Over Israeli Support
AI-assisted original article by 1news, based on reporting from GMA News Online. Featured image credited to the source.
US President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that talks held in Cairo between mediators and Hamas leaders have resulted in a historic agreement aimed at the complete disarmament of Hamas, to be implemented in structured phases. Trump described the agreement as a critical step toward establishing a new Palestinian government in Gaza that would collaborate closely with the Board of Peace to assist the Palestinian people, while ensuring Israel’s security by preventing Gaza from being used as a base for terror attacks.
Despite Trump’s announcement, sources close to the negotiations told Reuters that while progress has been made, it remains uncertain whether the agreement will hold. An Israeli official, speaking anonymously, stated that Israel had rejected the proposed terms, emphasizing that Israel demands the complete disarmament of Hamas, including the removal of all weapons from Gaza and the full demilitarization of the Strip as a precondition for any process. The official added that the 15-point document under discussion did not meet Israel’s demands and that Israel had formally conveyed its objections.
The Israeli embassy in Washington and Hamas did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding Trump’s statement. Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes continued in Gaza, killing at least six Palestinians, including two children, according to medical sources. These strikes occurred despite a truce that has halted full-scale fighting but has not ended near-daily Israeli attacks.
Hamas leaders are currently engaged in talks with mediators from Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey concerning the second phase of Trump’s Gaza plan, which is overseen by the Board of Peace. Russian Deputy Ambassador to the United Nations Anna Evstigneeva informed the Security Council earlier this week that a roadmap prepared by Trump’s Board of Peace envoy for Gaza, Nickolay Mladenov, has yet to gain support from both Israel and Hamas, with the demilitarization of Gaza remaining the primary obstacle.
A diplomat close to the talks indicated that negotiations are progressing toward a roadmap that would see the decommissioning of all heavy and light weapons in Gaza. The plan envisions a surge in humanitarian aid, governance by a civilian Palestinian administration, the disarmament of Hamas, the phased withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, and the deployment of an international force to help maintain security.
On Thursday, a Hamas official described the group’s response as positive and good but did not confirm whether Hamas had agreed to fully disarm, which has been a key sticking point in the talks over the past four months. Hamas has insisted that Israel commit to ending attacks on Gaza and withdrawing its forces. Sources close to Hamas said the group is willing to confine and store heavy weapons under the control of a Palestinian body, rather than handing them over to Israel. Hamas itself has not publicly commented on this matter.
It remains unclear how light or personal weapons will be handled or whether Israel and the Board of Peace will accept Hamas’s new stance. The diplomat involved in the talks explained that the roadmap under discussion in Cairo would also involve transferring authority in phases to the US-backed National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), operating under the principle of “one authority, one law, one weapon.”
The plan includes dismantling tunnels, arms stockpiles, and weapons production facilities, with the diplomat adding that by the end of the process, no militant infrastructure would remain in Gaza. The roadmap is based on reciprocal steps rather than trust, reflecting the deep mistrust between the parties.
Despite these developments, the situation on the ground in Gaza remains far from the envisioned roadmap. The Israeli military has continued to expand its occupation of Gaza, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stating that Israel intends to control up to 70% of the enclave. It is still uncertain how many forces would be available for deployment with the planned International Stabilization Force or whether Israeli troops will withdraw from the territory.
In Cairo, two Egyptian sources reported that Hamas had agreed to several contentious points, including the handover of weapons, but requested changes regarding the definition of infrastructure to be dismantled. Additional talks are ongoing to resolve these issues.
The truce has halted full-scale fighting but has not stopped near-daily Israeli strikes. Health officials reported that separate Israeli attacks killed at least two children, a woman, and three men in Gaza on Thursday. The Israeli military stated that it targeted Hamas militants in the enclave. These deaths add to a toll of more than 1,200 Palestinians, mostly civilians, killed by Israeli attacks since the ceasefire took effect, according to Gaza health authorities. Meanwhile, four Israeli soldiers have been killed by militants in Gaza since the ceasefire began.