Trump announces 'historic' Hamas disarmament deal; Israel to withdraw from Gaza once weapons surrendered

Trump's announcement

On the evening of 30 July, Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that the Board of Peace had reached "a historic agreement for the complete disarmament of Hamas and all other armed groups in Gaza." He described it as a monumental step toward lasting peace and security. The agreement, he said, would be implemented in carefully planned phases: once disarmament is completed, Israeli forces would withdraw and an International Stabilization Force would work with a new Palestinian police force to secure Gaza. Trump thanked mediators Egypt, Qatar and Turkey, and his own team, for making what he called "this historic breakthrough" possible. He added that the threat that emerged from Gaza on 7 October would not be allowed to reconstitute.

Today, the Board of Peace has reached a historic agreement for the complete disarmament of Hamas and of all other armed groups in Gaza. This is a monumental step toward lasting peace and security.

The roadmap and its mechanics

The framework, according to a source from the Board of Peace involved in the Cairo negotiations, is the roadmap drafted by envoy Nickolay Mladenov. It creates a process for eliminating all tunnels, all weapons (including personal Kalashnikovs), depots and production facilities. The arsenal would pass to the full control of a Palestinian technocrat committee led by Ali Shaath, still based in Cairo, under a mechanism supported by the International Stabilization Force. That force, whose entry into Gaza was approved by the Israeli government the previous Sunday, would be led by a two-star US special forces general. If Hamas signs, the US will ask Israel to withdraw again within the Yellow Line (53% of the Strip, relinquishing an additional 7% captured in recent months) and to end raids, Channel 12 reported.

Israeli and Hamas positions

On the morning of 30 July, an Israeli source involved in the talks told Ynet that "the direction seems positive: it seems Hamas has surrendered and accepts complete and total disarmament." Palestinian sources cited by the same outlet said a declaration on reaching agreements could be published that day. By evening, however, Israeli leaks struck a different note: Israel demands total disarmament including the removal of weapons from Gaza, and the roadmap does not provide enough guarantees; there will be no further withdrawal from the Yellow Line without those conditions. A US official, briefing reporters after Trump's announcement, said Hamas had accepted the roadmap through Egyptian mediators after a month of negotiations that also involved Turkey and Qatar. The official stressed that the plan was identical to the 20-point plan Israel had already accepted almost a year earlier, adding, "We are not asking Israel to accept anything other than the 20-point plan it already agreed to at the beginning, and we are therefore very confident it will. Otherwise, of course, President Trump will be very disappointed." The same official acknowledged the scale of the challenge: "We are trying to do something impossible."

The Dahlan-Kushner channel

A notable behind-the-scenes actor was Mohammed Dahlan, the longtime rival of Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas, exiled in Abu Dhabi where he serves as an adviser to Emir Mohammed bin Zayed. Dahlan's deputy, Samir Masharawi, revealed in an interview with Egypt's al-Ghad TV that Dahlan had direct contacts with Jared Kushner to overcome obstacles and secure Israel's commitment to the deal. The revelation intersects with an internal Fatah power struggle ahead of legislative elections.

Doubts and next steps

Despite the fanfare, significant uncertainties remain. The composition of the Palestinian institutions that would govern Gaza is unclear, as is which countries would contribute troops to the stabilization force or when it would deploy. Hamas police are supposed to hand weapons to a new Palestinian police force trained by the international mission, which would also assist in disarmament and be positioned between Palestinian and Israeli-controlled areas. With Israeli elections approaching in October, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces domestic pressure that may complicate concessions. The coming weeks will test whether the roadmap can move from announcement to implementation.