Trump says US and Israel have 'shared understanding' on Hamas disarmament deal

US President Donald Trump said Israel is “very happy” with the newly announced deal with Hamas, despite Israel not formally agreeing to its terms. He made the remarks during a cabinet meeting at Camp David, Maryland, on Friday.

The US leader acknowledged the deal could face “ups and downs” due to the complex situation, but overall painted an optimistic picture. “We have a shared understanding with Israel. Israel is very happy with it. Israel has helped us,” he said of the agreement.

Hours earlier, Hamas confirmed it had agreed to the first step of a deal aimed at fully ending Israel's war in Gaza. However, Israel remained silent on the plan, which includes Hamas handing over weapons to a Palestinian committee in exchange for a complete Israeli troop withdrawal.

Far-right minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called the plan “unacceptable,” saying its terms “are tantamount to agreeing to let Hamas organize the next massacre.”

Meanwhile, Israel's ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, maintained that Trump “will certainly not be disappointed” with Israel's final response. However, he also questioned the deal's details, saying Israel only supports an agreement that ensures “Hamas will no longer have the ability to touch these weapons.”

A fragile deal

The preliminary agreement was announced after a meeting of mediators including Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, and the US. It could mark a major turning point in Israel's war in Gaza, where at least 73,341 Palestinians have been killed.

The two sides signed a ceasefire as part of a 20-point plan backed by the US since October last year. The future of full implementation remains unclear amid near-daily Israeli violations. At least 1,214 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the ceasefire began.

A body called the International Peace Council was established to oversee the deal, with Trump as its chairman. A political entity named the National Committee for Gaza Management was also appointed to run daily administrative affairs in the besieged territory.

Under the deal, Hamas will prepare a weapons inventory within 14 days, which may be extended. The International Stabilization Force (ISF) and a new Palestinian police force will oversee the transfer of weapons to the Palestinian National Committee, which is responsible for storage and oversight. Israeli forces will withdraw gradually during the process, but they currently occupy more than 70% of Gaza since the ceasefire.

Al Jazeera's Rosiland Jordan, reporting from Washington, said no specific timeline has been set for Hamas's weapons transfer and Israel's withdrawal. The process will only begin after a “change in the security situation on the ground,” which requires multiple rounds of Israeli approval.

Earlier this week, Israel's cabinet initially approved allowing some ISF forces into Gaza. Israel will also review the new police force. “They indicated that the change in security posture or 'demilitarization' will take time. It's not until that happens that you see a new kind of political governance blooming inside Gaza,” Jordan said.

Harlan Ullman, chairman of consultancy Killowen Group, warned that any deal is fragile. Success will depend on the response of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who faces a critical election in October. “This is a very fragile deal. It needs to be nurtured. There are many aspects that could fall apart, but I hope Trump's optimism is justified,” he said.