World Cautious on Hamas Disarmament Deal

The Palestinian armed group Hamas announced on July 31 that it had agreed to a deal to fully end Israel's war in Gaza, a region that has suffered devastation and heavy losses for nearly three years. The agreement, confirmed by the U.S. and mediators on July 31 and August 1, requires Hamas to prepare for phased disarmament and handover of weapons, alongside an Israeli troop withdrawal.

The deal was unveiled by U.S. President Donald Trump on the evening of July 31, after the U.S.-led International Peace Council and Stabilization Force said mediators from Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, and the U.S. had finalized a roadmap to move to the next phase of the ceasefire. A ceasefire had been reached in October 2024 but failed to halt fighting, though the intensity of violence has decreased.

Trump hailed it as a "historic agreement on the complete disarmament of Hamas and all other armed groups in Gaza," calling it "a major step toward lasting peace and security." However, analysts say implementation remains a huge challenge, given the initial ceasefire phase failed and trust between the sides is virtually nonexistent.

Reactions from stakeholders

The Israeli government had no official response as of the evening of August 1. Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir rejected the draft, arguing that halting assassinations of Hamas members means accepting that the group can prepare for a new attack, referencing the October 2023 attack that killed 1,200 people and took 240 hostages. Former Israeli military chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot, a potential successor to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, warned Israel cannot accept a reality where Hamas exists, re-arms, and waits for the next massacre.

Hamas insisted that disarmament depends on Israel ending hostilities and fully withdrawing from Gaza. The group outlined necessary conditions, including Israel committing to stop killings, deploying a National Committee to govern Gaza, bringing in an international stabilization force, and dismantling Israeli-backed armed forces. Negotiator Ghazi Hamad described it as a "comprehensive package" covering ending attacks, withdrawal, international force deployment, and reconstruction, adding that Hamas had made concessions for the benefit of the Palestinian people.

Palestinian Islamic Jihad, a party to the original ceasefire alongside Hamas, said reports of an agreement between factions and Israel are "inaccurate" and that the group has "reservations" about the current form of the deal. Meanwhile, the National Committee for Gaza Governance welcomed the roadmap and said it is ready to take over administration of the strip and restore essential services.

International calls for implementation

Peace Council Director Nickolay Mladenov, an architect of the phased plan, admitted there were many moments when negotiations seemed to collapse, and stressed that enforcement and verification mechanisms must be "genuinely effective," with Israel's withdrawal proceeding in parallel with disarmament.

Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, along with the U.S., are the main mediators. Egypt is preparing to host follow-up meetings with U.S., Qatari, and Turkish representatives to finalize phase-two commitments. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed hope that concrete steps would be taken under the Gaza Peace Plan toward establishing an independent, sovereign, and contiguous Palestinian state on pre-1967 borders.

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called it a "constructive step" if fully implemented, but warned "many things still need to fall into place for the plan to succeed." The UK urged full implementation of the 20-point plan, including Israel's withdrawal from Gaza and respect for the ceasefire. Germany welcomed the roadmap but stressed Hamas "must never again be allowed to pose a threat to Israel." Belgium saw it as an opportunity to pave the way for broader humanitarian access, restore Palestinian governance in Gaza, and advance a two-state solution.