Hamas has for the first time agreed to a specific plan to hand over its weapons in Gaza, U.S. President Donald Trump announced Friday, though the group said it would only disarm if Israel upholds its side of the ceasefire agreement.
The deal was announced through the “Board of Peace,” a diplomatic body backed by Trump and involving his son-in-law Jared Kushner. Under the agreement, Hamas would surrender its weapons in stages while Israel withdraws its forces from Gaza over a period of time. Senior Hamas negotiator Ghazi Hamad said Israel has not yet officially confirmed its approval of the deal, and that Hamas will take part in further talks in the coming days to work out implementation timelines, with an international oversight committee monitoring compliance.
Hamad called the agreement “painful and difficult” for Hamas, saying the group accepted it to avert further destruction in Gaza.
The announcement drew cautious welcomes abroad. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul called it “hopeful” but stressed Hamas must follow through. EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas said the plan “would be a constructive step towards peace” if fully implemented, but cautioned that “a lot needs to fall in place,” including eventual Israeli withdrawal, and that verifying Hamas’s compliance “will be a significant challenge.” British Foreign Secretary David Lammy’s successor Ed Miliband also welcomed the move.
On the ground, Palestinians in Gaza expressed skepticism. Since a U.S.-brokered ceasefire nominally took effect in October 2025, Israeli attacks have killed at least 1,100 Palestinians, and Israel has continued to restrict humanitarian aid while expanding its so-called “Yellow Line” military zone inside the territory — actions critics say may violate the existing truce.
The agreement coincides with a Hamas delegation’s arrival in Cairo for talks with Egyptian officials and Qatari and Turkish mediators aimed at finalizing a 15-point document covering the ceasefire’s second phase, including the administration of Gaza’s civilian institutions after Israeli withdrawal.
Reporting from Cairo, Gaza and Washington; editing by Reuters staff.
Worth noting: this “deal” sits on top of an already fragile October 2025 ceasefire, and several sources emphasize deep skepticism on the ground given past announcements haven’t matched conditions in Gaza. I’d treat “deal” here as a negotiating milestone rather than a finished, implemented agreement.
