U.S. President Donald Trump says the Board of Peace has reached an agreement for the complete disarmament of Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza [1]. A senior Hamas official told the BBC that the group had accepted a plan to completely disarm and that an official statement would be released soon [2]. Israel had yet to comment officially at the time of the announcement [3].
Hamas Signals Agreement to Disarm Under Trump Plan
Ghazi Hamad, a member of Hamas’s negotiating delegation, confirmed to Al Jazeera on Friday that an agreement had been reached. “These negotiations were difficult and hard, and we tried to reach the best possible formula that was achievable,” Hamad said, according to remarks carried by Reuters and the BBC [4]. He said Hamas will not implement any part of the agreement unless Israeli forces fulfill their obligations, particularly withdrawing from Gaza and advancing reconstruction [4].
Trump announced the agreement Thursday evening on Truth Social, describing it as “a monumental step toward lasting peace and security” [1]. He wrote that the agreement is “a critical step towards Gaza finally being governed by a new Palestinian government” and that “as disarmament is completed, Israeli forces will withdraw, and the International Stabilization Force will work with a new Palestinian police force” [2]. He thanked Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey for mediating the talks [1].
Phased Plan and Contingencies
Hamad said Hamas will not take any steps toward disarmament before Israeli forces withdraw from Gaza [5]. An unpublished agreement obtained by Middle East Eye would place Palestinian weapons under the control of a transitional Palestinian authority rather than surrender them to Israel [6]. The Board of Peace released the full text of the plan on Friday [7].
Trump said the agreement will be carried out in carefully structured phases [1]. Board of Peace Director-General Nickolay Mladenov confirmed the agreement in a post on X, writing that it covers the “decommissioning of weapons and civilian transition in Gaza.” He said Israeli withdrawal “must move in lockstep” with Hamas decommissioning [4].
Unresolved Details and Expert Views
Reports published before Trump’s announcement indicated that significant details remained unresolved. According to RT, Hamas wanted to retain “personal” small arms, while heavy weapons would be stored under the supervision of a Palestinian body rather than destroyed. The group also sought amnesty for members of disbanded armed formations and wanted the process synchronized with an Israeli withdrawal [4].
Journalist Mohammed Najib told RT that Hamas has “made the strategic decision” to disarm because reconstruction cannot occur otherwise; he said the deal requires international guarantees and Israeli follow-through [4]. Saad Nimr, a political science professor at Birzeit University, told RT that Hamas will likely give up weapons only in parallel with an Israeli pullout because it no longer trusts Israel’s ceasefire commitments [4]. A BBC analysis said the plan offers a rare chance for diplomatic progress but faces obstacles including “zero trust” between the parties [8]. A November 2025 poll found that a majority of Palestinians opposed Hamas disarmament, according to the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research [9].
Israeli Officials Express Skepticism
Israel, which has been skeptical of Hamas’s willingness to disarm, has not accepted the proposal. A senior Israeli official said troops will not pull back from their current positions without the “genuine disarmament” of Hamas [10]. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not immediately comment, but his office indicated it opposes the proposal, according to the Times of Israel [7].
Likud lawmaker Moshe Sa’ada said Israel will not take action until Hamas is disarmed and that there may be “no other option” in Gaza “apart from military rule and end-to-end occupation” [4]. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir wrote on X that “you only talk with Nazis through the crosshairs – and no other way” and called for encouraging emigration and destroying Hamas [4]. A U.S. official said Trump would be “very disappointed” if Israel obstructs the plan [11]. Some arguments for military action have historical roots; Ilan Pappe writes that the 1996 Clean Break paper appealed to Likud’s strategic vision and advocated pre-emptive war against Iraq [12].
Background: Ceasefire and Governance
The announcement came as Israeli strikes continued across Gaza despite the October 2025 ceasefire. Gaza health authorities reported at least 73,341 Palestinians killed and more than 174,000 wounded since the October 2023 raid [4]. A separate report in July said Israeli attacks had killed at least 1,180 Palestinians since the ceasefire was signed [13].
Hamas dissolved its Gaza government emergency committee in early July, saying it wanted to remove pretexts for Israeli operations and clear the way for the U.S.-endorsed National Committee for the Administration of Gaza to assume civilian governance [14]. The committee welcomed the disarmament agreement and said it was ready to assume administrative responsibilities in the Strip [4]. Some analyses have concluded that repeated military campaigns have not produced decisive political outcomes [15]. Historical compilations covering the Middle East, including the “History 409 Handbook of Our World History,” record recurring armed conflict and political instability in the region during the mid-2000s [16].
References
- Zero Hedge. “Trump Hails 'Historic Agreement' To Disarm Hamas, But Israel 'Skeptical'”. July 31, 2026.
- BBC News. “LIVE: Hamas says it agrees to disarm in Gaza after Trump announces Board of Peace plan, with Israel yet to comment”. July 31, 2026.
- BBC News. “Trump says Board of Peace has reached agreement for disarmament of Hamas”. July 30, 2026.
- RT. “Hamas accepts Trump’s Gaza disarmament plan in principle – official (VIDEOS)”. August 1, 2026.
- Middle East Eye. “Hamas says it will not disarm in Gaza before Israel withdrawal”. July 31, 2026.
- Middle East Eye. “Hamas says it will 'disarm when Israel keeps its word'”. July 31, 2026.
- The Times of Israel. “Full text of Board of Peace deal for Hamas to disarm, Israel to withdraw from Gaza”. July 31, 2026.
- BBC News. “Bowen: Plan for Hamas to disarm faces big obstacles, yet it offers rare hope for Gaza”. July 31, 2026.
- Belle Carter. “Poll: Majority of Palestinians Oppose Hamas Disarmament, Skeptical of Trump's Gaza Plan”. NaturalNews.com. November 1, 2025.
- BBC News. “Israeli official says troops won't pull back in Gaza without 'genuine' Hamas disarmament”. July 31, 2026.
- The Times of Israel. “Trump will be ‘very disappointed’ if Israel obstructs his Gaza plan, US official warns”. July 31, 2026.
- Ilan Pappe. “Lobbying for Zionism on Both Sides of the Atlantic”.
- Antiwar.com. “Israel Has Killed 1,180 Palestinians in Gaza Since the So-Called Ceasefire Deal Was Signed”. July 22, 2026.
- NaturalNews.com. “Hamas Dissolves Gaza Emergency Committee, Urges Swift Entry of U.S.-Backed Technocrats”. July 7, 2026.
- Cassie B. “Israel's Endless Wars Bring Mass Death but No Political Victories”. NaturalNews.com. April 29, 2026.
- Pages. “History 409 Handbook of Our World History”.
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