Hamas Agrees to Disarm Under US-Proposed Peace Deal, Israel Yet to Respond

Hamas says it has reached an agreement with mediators to fully end the war in Gaza, including provisions for disarmament and the phased handover of weapons. In return, Israel must withdraw its military from the territory within a specified timeframe.

The deal was announced by US President Donald Trump on Thursday evening, after the Gaza Peace Council and the US-led International Stabilization Force confirmed that mediators from Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, and the US had completed the roadmap for the next phase of the ceasefire.

Under the plan, a Palestinian national committee will be responsible for inventorying and managing Hamas's weapons, while an international force and a new Palestinian police force will oversee the disarmament process. Weapons will not be handed over to Israel or any other external party. The process is expected to begin 14 days after all parties formally accept the agreement.

Israel has not yet given an official response to the new proposal. Hamas has also stressed that it will not take any steps if Israel fails to comply with its withdrawal obligations.

Disarmament Plan Details

The roadmap outlines several key points:

• An inventory of Hamas's weapons must be prepared within 14 days, extendable with the consent of the international verification committee and the parties.
• The Palestinian national committee will be the sole body holding, storing, and controlling weapons in Gaza, with participation from Palestinian factions.
• Weapons will not be transferred to Israel or any non-Palestinian party.
• An international stabilization force and a new Palestinian police force will monitor disarmament while Israel withdraws gradually in phases.
• The disarmament process will begin with heavy weapons, military production facilities, weapons depots, and tunnel systems.

However, experts say many questions remain about whether all armed Palestinian groups other than Hamas will comply, and whether Israel will fully withdraw from Gaza.

Gaza Governance Structure Post-Agreement

According to the roadmap, daily governance in Gaza will be handed over to a Palestinian technocratic committee operating under the supervision of the Gaza Peace Council. This council, led by the US with Trump as lifetime chairman, is responsible for high-level strategy and reconstruction.

A seven-member founding executive council, chaired by former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, will implement the agenda. Additionally, an international stabilization force of about 5,000 troops from various countries, commanded by a US general, will be deployed to maintain security and support the new Palestinian police force.

However, several European countries, including France, Spain, and Norway, have refused to join the council over concerns that it could go beyond Gaza's scope and replace the UN's role.

Skepticism and Challenges

Since the US-mediated ceasefire took effect on October 10, 2025, Israeli attacks have killed at least 1,100 Palestinians. Israel has also continued restricting humanitarian aid into Gaza and expanded the so-called "Golden Road" deeper into the territory, which experts say may violate the earlier ceasefire agreement.

Many analysts see Israel's commitment as the weakest point of the deal, as far-right parties in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ruling coalition oppose withdrawal and call for establishing Jewish settlements in Gaza. Additionally, other armed groups operating in Gaza could seek to undermine the agreement.

Palestinians, enduring daily attacks, repeated displacement, and severe shortages of food, medicine, and shelter, received the news with a mix of hope and skepticism. Many question when they will actually feel the impact of the political declarations, given that the situation on the ground has not improved.