Trump Claims Hamas Deal on Phased Gaza Disarmament

President Donald Trump announced Thursday that mediators from the United States, Egypt, Qatar and Turkey had reached an agreement for the complete disarmament of Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza. The plan calls for weapons to be surrendered in stages, after which Israeli forces would withdraw and an international stabilization force would work with a new Palestinian police unit to secure the territory. Trump described the outcome as a monumental step toward lasting peace and security under a 20-point framework first outlined last fall.

The announcement centers on a U.S.-led Board of Peace that includes former British prime minister Tony Blair. Under the reported terms, Hamas would hand over heavy and light weapons over six to eight months, reveal tunnel locations and allow a new Palestinian governing structure to assume gradual control. Israeli withdrawals would follow only after independent verification that areas have been demilitarized. Trump credited the mediators for advancing the second phase of the October 2025 ceasefire.

Hamas officials responded cautiously. A senior member told Reuters that any disarmament hinges on Israel first halting attacks, increasing aid flows and completing its own withdrawal obligations from the prior agreement. The group has not yet signed the final text. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not publicly commented on the latest proposal, and Western diplomats have expressed doubt that Hamas will follow through.

Data since the original ceasefire show limited compliance on the ground. Palestinian health authorities report more than 1,100 deaths from Israeli strikes in the intervening period, while Hamas claims over 3,500 violations of the truce terms. Israel has accused Hamas of continued rocket activity and tunnel operations. The enclave remains heavily damaged, with roughly 90 percent of housing affected by prior fighting.

Past U.S. efforts to broker disarmament in the region have repeatedly encountered the same obstacle: militant groups retain weapons when they perceive no decisive cost to doing so. Incentives in such environments favor retaining military capacity over surrendering it, especially when external mediators maintain ties to the groups involved. The current proposal attempts to sequence actions to reduce that risk, yet verification remains the decisive variable.

Reconstruction and governance changes are tied to successful implementation. The plan envisions a new Palestinian administration operating under Board of Peace oversight, with the stabilization force intended to prevent rearmament. Whether these arrangements produce measurable reductions in violence will depend on concrete steps taken rather than declarations of agreement.