RismadarVoice Reporters, July 31, 2026
U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that an agreement has been reached for Hamas to disarm and for Israeli forces to withdraw from Gaza, though significant challenges remain before the plan can be fully implemented.
The announcement comes nine months after a U.S.-brokered ceasefire was signed, with negotiations between Israel and Hamas having stalled over the implementation of the second phase of the agreement, particularly the disarmament of Hamas and the reconstruction of Gaza.
In a statement posted on social media, Trump said the agreement would be implemented in carefully structured phases.
“As disarmament is completed, Israeli forces will withdraw, and the International Stabilisation Force will work with a new Palestinian police force to ensure Gaza is safe for its residents and neighbouring communities,” he stated.
According to the proposed 20-point ceasefire plan, Hamas would surrender its weapons and dismantle its network of tunnels, while Israeli troops would gradually withdraw from Gaza. The plan also includes the establishment of a technocratic Palestinian administration, deployment of an international security force, and reconstruction of the war-ravaged enclave.
On Friday, a Hamas official reportedly confirmed that the group had reached an agreement on disarmament, considered the most sensitive aspect of the ceasefire. However, Israel had not publicly confirmed its acceptance of the arrangement.
U.S. officials and representatives of the Board of Peace, an international body established to oversee the ceasefire, said the implementation would take place over an extended period. While Gaza’s police force is expected to hand over its weapons within two weeks, the surrender of Hamas’ heavy weapons and the dismantling of its tunnel network could take between 200 and 350 days.
Officials noted that Israel had been consulted throughout the negotiations and would not be required to undertake commitments beyond those contained in the original ceasefire framework, including withdrawing its forces and ending airstrikes in Gaza.
They added that Trump expects all parties to honour the agreement, warning that failure to do so would undermine the peace process.
Iran, a long-time supporter of Hamas, was described as an unpredictable factor, although U.S. officials believe its ability to influence events has been weakened by its ongoing conflict with the United States.
Hamas had previously insisted that the first phase of the ceasefire be fully implemented before discussing disarmament. However, the group recently announced it had dissolved its governing authority in Gaza and was preparing to transfer administrative responsibilities to a United Nations-backed technical committee.
The Gaza war began after Hamas launched an attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. Israel’s military response has since claimed more than 73,000 Palestinian lives, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, while much of the territory has been left devastated by the conflict.
