Hamas and other Palestinian factions have approved a document outlining a plan to disarm in Gaza, a move that Donald Trump, President of the United States (US) described as a major step toward peace and security.
A copy of the document obtained by an international media outlet indicates that the disarmament roadmap must be finalized within 14 days. Any extensions depend on the approval of an international verification body alongside agreement from all involved sides.
Ghazi Hamad, a member of Hamas’s negotiating team, stated that the discussions were difficult and hard, adding that the group worked to secure the best attainable outcome.
Hamad emphasized that Hamas will not execute any portion of the plan if Israeli forces do not meet their requirements. He noted that the disarmament process remains tied to Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza and advancement on reconstruction efforts. Israel has not issued a statement as yet.
Trump outlined the deal as a milestone for the Board of Peace, the entity created to handle Gaza’s administration.
“This agreement is a critical step towards Gaza finally being governed by a new Palestinian government that will work closely with the Board of Peace to help the Palestinian people,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform on Thursday. “At the same time, Israel will have the security it deserves, with Gaza no longer used as a base for terror attacks.”
The document specifies that disarmament will start when a National Committee and the International Stabilisation Force (ISF) enter Gaza. The National Committee will manage the inventory and storage of arms, observed by the international verification committee and attended by Palestinian factions.
The agreement states that no arms will be transferred to Israel or any non-Palestinian entity, designating the National Committee as the only authority permitted to retain weapons in Gaza.
A Board of Peace official confirmed that armed groups will yield their arms to the National Committee. The official explained that police-held arms will be turned over first, followed by the decommissioning of heavy arms. The official noted that all genocide in Gaza must cease, though full execution of the plan will require time.
Trump noted that the phased disarmament forms part of the October ceasefire framework designed to stop the genocide in Gaza, which resulted in the deaths of over 73,000 Palestinians.
Since the ceasefire took effect, Israeli strikes have killed more than 1,200 Palestinians, alongside continued territorial control and restrictions on movement and goods. Six Palestinians, including two children, died in Israeli strikes on Gaza on Thursday.
Trump stated that Israeli forces will pull out of Gaza to be replaced by the International Stabilization Force operating alongside a new Palestinian police unit once disarmament finishes.
Hamas representatives spent the past week in Cairo holding talks with mediators from Egypt, Qatar and Turkiye.
State-affiliated Al-Qahera News reported that Egypt will host further meetings in Cairo involving Egyptian, American, Qatari and Turkish representatives to secure commitments for the second phase of the roadmap. The outlet remarked that Palestinian factions submitted official approval for the plan.
Palestinian Islamic Jihad disputed reports of a finalized deal between the factions and Israel, stating that it maintains reservations regarding the current draft wording.
Hamas officially dissolved its Gaza governing authority on July 6 after nearly two decades in power.
