Conflict & Security
Gaza withdrawal depends on Hamas disarmament: source
An Israeli political source said Friday that Israel would not withdraw its forces from the current Yellow Line in Gaza unless Hamas genuinely disarmed, after Hamas said it had accepted a deal involving its disarmament and an Israeli exit.
“Israel has reiterated that there will be no withdrawal whatsoever of the IDF from the current Yellow Line unless Hamas undergoes a genuine disarmament,” the source told AFP. The Yellow Line refers to a demarcation between the area under Hamas control and the area held by the Israeli army.
The comment added to unresolved disputes over how any Gaza deal would be carried out. The text of the agreement has not been released publicly, and there has been no official Israeli government reaction to Hamas's announcement.
US President Donald Trump described the plan as requiring the “complete disarmament” of Hamas and said Israeli forces would withdraw from Gaza as disarmament is completed.
Hamas officials told AFP that a committee established by Trump's Board of Peace to govern Gaza would oversee the cataloguing and storage of the group's weapons. According to Hamas, Israel's withdrawal, the deployment of an international force, the installation of the committee and the handling of Hamas weapons must proceed in parallel.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas welcomed the deal but said its success depended on the full commitment of all parties. She said verifying Hamas's compliance would be a significant challenge and that Israel would eventually need to withdraw from Gaza.
Israeli far-right national security minister Itamar Ben Gvir said Friday that the deal was “unacceptable.” Hamas negotiator Ghazi Hamad told AFP that Hamas expected mediators and the Board of Peace to ensure Israel complied with the deal's terms, and said Hamas would not implement the agreement if Israel did not.
Mediators from Egypt, the United States, Qatar and Turkey are expected to meet in Cairo shortly to work on a timetable and mechanisms. Israeli military officials said the army controlled more than 60 percent of Gaza.
Update
An Israeli political source said there would be no IDF withdrawal from the current Yellow Line unless Hamas undergoes what the source called genuine disarmament.
The Yellow Line was described as a demarcation between the area under Hamas control and the area held by the Israeli army.
Source note: AFP news report published on 31 July 2026 at 14:39:26 UTC.
Update
An Israeli political source said Israel would not leave Gaza until Hamas's genuine disarmament.
Source note: AFP news report published on 31 July 2026 at 14:27:09 UTC.
Update
The Board of Peace said attention was turning to implementation and that the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza would soon begin a phased transition toward full authority.
Hamas said Israeli withdrawal, deployment of an international force, installation of the Gaza administration committee and handling of its weapons should proceed in parallel.
Hamas officials said the next two weeks would be used to agree implementation mechanisms.
Mediators from Egypt, the United States, Qatar and Turkey are expected to meet in Cairo shortly to seek agreement on a timetable and mechanisms.
The Gaza administration committee has not yet been allowed to enter the Gaza Strip.
The International Stabilisation Force is still being established.
Israeli military officials said the army controlled more than 60 percent of Gaza.
Source note: AFP news report published on 31 July 2026 at 14:18:55 UTC.
Update
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas welcomed the deal including Hamas disarmament.
Kallas said the deal's success depends on the full commitment of all parties.
Kallas said verifying Hamas' compliance would be a significant challenge.
Kallas said Israel would eventually need to withdraw from Gaza.
Kallas said the EU was ready to support next steps.
Source note: AFP news report published on 31 July 2026 at 14:08:49 UTC.
Update
Itamar Ben Gvir was identified as the Israeli far-right national security minister who called the deal unacceptable.
Ben Gvir argued that a commitment to stop assassinations of Hamas members would allow Hamas to organise another attack.
Ben Gvir wrote that assassinations in Gaza must continue and that what he called the encouragement of immigration must happen.
Source note: AFP news report published on 31 July 2026 at 13:44:53 UTC.
Update
An Israeli far-right minister said the Hamas disarmament deal was “unacceptable”.
Source note: AFP news report published on 31 July 2026 at 13:34:20 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
There has been no official Israeli government reaction to Hamas's announcement.
The public text of the agreement has not been released.
The timetable and mechanisms for implementation remain unresolved.
Source
AFP news report published on .