Hamas accepts Gaza disarmament framework while setting conditions for Israel

Hamas has accepted a proposed Gaza disarmament framework aimed at ending the presence of armed groups in the territory. However, the movement says implementation will depend on Israel meeting several conditions, highlighting the significant gaps that remain before any agreement can take effect.

US President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that his Peace Council had reached what he described as a historic agreement for the complete disarmament of Hamas and all other armed groups in Gaza. He called the initiative a major step toward lasting peace and security. Hamas officials confirmed their acceptance of the framework on Friday but stressed that the proposal cannot move forward without reciprocal commitments from Israel.

Under the phased plan, Hamas would transfer its weapons to the National Committee for Gaza Administration, a Palestinian technocratic body established under the Peace Council. Heavy weapons, military tunnels and weapons production facilities would be dismantled over an estimated period of 200 to 350 days. An international stabilization force would deploy alongside a newly formed Palestinian police force as Israeli troops gradually withdraw from Gaza.

Trump thanked Egyptian, Qatari and Turkish mediators for facilitating negotiations held in El Alamein, Egypt. Nickolay Mladenov, the Peace Council’s senior representative for Gaza, said on X that the agreement followed months of difficult negotiations and emphasized that implementation and verification would be essential to its success.

Hamas official Ghazi Hamad told Reuters that the group would not begin disarmament until Israel halted its military operations, expanded humanitarian aid deliveries and completed its withdrawal in accordance with the October ceasefire agreement. Another senior Hamas official told AFP that the weapons would be placed under the supervision of the National Committee for Gaza Administration rather than handed directly to Israel.

Israel has not officially responded to Trump’s announcement. Before the public disclosure of the proposal, an Israeli official told AFP that the 15-point framework did not adequately satisfy Israel’s demand for complete demilitarization as a prerequisite for any political process. A US official acknowledged that Israel remains highly skeptical about Hamas’s willingness to disarm, describing the framework as one built on conditions rather than trust.

Further challenges remain before implementation can begin. The Associated Press reported that Gaza police are expected to begin surrendering their weapons within two weeks, although the measure would not cover most Hamas fighters or heavy weaponry. Reports also indicate that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps urged Hamas not to accept the agreement during a recent visit to Tehran. US officials nevertheless believe Iran is too heavily engaged in its own confrontation with the United States to provide substantial support to Hamas.

Mediators are expected to meet in Cairo to focus on implementing the agreement, according to Egypt’s state-linked Al-Qahera News. A US official said President Trump would be very disappointed if Israel were to obstruct the implementation process, underscoring the diplomatic pressure surrounding the proposed framework.