Hamas says it accepts Gaza disarmament deal, Israel silent

Hamas said on Friday that it had accepted a deal intended to end the war with Israel, including provisions on its weapons and a gradual Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, but the text has not been made public and Israel gave no immediate response.

US President Donald Trump described the plan as requiring the “complete disarmament” of Hamas and said Israeli forces would withdraw as disarmament is completed. Hamas officials told AFP that a committee set up by Trump’s Board of Peace would oversee storing the group’s weapons.

Hamas negotiator Ghazi Hamad told AFP the group expected mediators and the Board of Peace to ensure Israel met terms for a gradual withdrawal. He said Hamas would not implement the agreement if Israel did not.

An Israeli political source, speaking before Hamas announced its acceptance, said Israel demanded the complete disarmament of Hamas, the removal of weapons from Gaza and demilitarisation as preconditions for any process. The source said there would be no Israeli withdrawal from the “yellow line” before those conditions were met.

The Board of Peace said its focus was now implementation and that the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza would soon begin a phased transition toward full authority. Hamas officials said the next two weeks would be used to work on implementation mechanisms.

Mediators from Egypt, the United States, Qatar and Turkey are expected to meet in Cairo. The Gaza administration committee has not yet been allowed to enter Gaza, and the International Stabilisation Force expected to support the transition is still being formed.