No Confirmation from the Warring Parties — Trump Announces Agreement on Hamas Disarmament
Is there movement in the negotiations between Israel and Hamas? US President Trump is speaking of an agreement on the gradual disarmament of Hamas, with Israel withdrawing its military in return. No confirmation from either side has been forthcoming so far.
US President Donald Trump has announced a deal to disarm the militant Islamist Hamas and other armed groups in the Gaza Strip. The "Peace Council" he established has reached a corresponding agreement, Trump stated. No official confirmation from Hamas or Israel has been issued so far.
"This agreement is a decisive step toward Gaza finally being governed by a new Palestinian government that will work closely with the 'Peace Council' to help the Palestinian people," the US president wrote on his online platform Truth Social. At the same time, Israel would receive the security it deserves, he emphasized, thanking mediators Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey.
Agreement Apparently Envisions International Stabilization Force
According to Trump, the agreement is an important milestone in implementing a 20-point plan to end the war in the Gaza Strip. Implementation is to proceed in phases. As disarmament progresses, Israeli forces would withdraw.
An international stabilization force would in future ensure security together with a new Palestinian police force. This is a decisive step toward a new Palestinian government in the Gaza Strip, Trump declared.
It remains unclear whether the plan constitutes a declaration of intent or a binding agreement. The Republican also did not present a concrete timeline.
Negotiating Circles See Rare Progress
Previously, sources close to the negotiations had indicated that rare progress had been achieved in talks between mediators and Hamas representatives in Cairo, according to the news agency Reuters. An Israeli government official had, however, most recently described the proposed terms as "unsatisfactory." The terrorist organization Hamas has not yet commented.
Meanwhile, violence in the coastal territory continues. According to Palestinian paramedics, at least six people were killed in Israeli strikes yesterday, including two children.
Israel continues to control more than half of the blockaded, war-ravaged coastal territory. Since the ceasefire began, however, Hamas has managed to re-consolidate its rule in the area it still controls. The Hamas massacre on October 7, 2023 in Israel triggered the Gaza war.
