Hamas Agrees to Begin Disarming Under US-Brokered Gaza Deal

Reporting based primarily on apnews.com.

Hamas confirmed it has reached a deal to begin disarming in Gaza as part of a US-brokered agreement that requires Israel to end strikes and withdraw, though implementation faces major obstacles including Israel's skepticism and upcoming elections. The Gaza war remains central to these developments as the parties navigate the terms of the ceasefire.

Announcement of the Disarmament Deal

Hamas said Friday that it will begin disarming as part of a deal announced by U.S. President Donald Trump that also requires Israel to end its strikes and withdraw from Gaza. [5] It marks a potential breakthrough in ending the war, but implementation faces major challenges. [4] Hamas also said that laying down its heavy weapons, which would come later in the process, was contingent on the creation of a Palestinian state, something Israel’s current government adamantly rejects. [5] The agreement is part of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire announced last October that called for Hamas to disarm and hand over power to an independent Palestinian administration. [5] Israel was to withdraw, and an International Stabilization Force was to deploy. [5] Trump said Israel is “very happy” with the Gaza disarmament agreement. [2] US President Donald Trump addressed a cabinet meeting at the Camp David retreat following the announcement that Hamas had agreed to disarm in Gaza as part of a US-brokered plan. [3]

Implementation Phases and Timeline

Disarming would occur in carefully structured phases, with Hamas police weapons transferred to a US-backed Palestinian technocratic committee, followed later by decommissioning of heavy weapons, tunnels, and military sites linked to phased Israeli withdrawal. [5] The process could take 200 to 350 days for heavy weapons and infrastructure. [5] As disarmament is completed, Israeli forces will withdraw, and the International Stabilization Force will work with a new Palestinian police force to take responsibility for Gaza being safe for its residents and its neighbors. [5] A copy of the agreement obtained and verified by The Associated Press said that all weapons held by the Hamas-run police will be transferred to the U.S.-backed Palestinian technocratic committee, known as the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, upon its arrival in the enclave. [5] A process to decommission and store heavy weapons, military production sites and tunnels will begin after the arrival of the Palestinian committee and the deployment of international forces. [5] The process will be linked to a phased Israeli withdrawal, according to the agreement. [5]

US President Donald Trump addresses a cabinet meeting on the Hamas disarmament deal. — Source: france24

Challenges and Israeli Position

Israel has not officially commented on the deal. [5] In a statement Thursday, an Israeli official said that there will be no Israeli withdrawal before the militant group is disarmed and the strip demilitarized. [5] Israel currently controls around 60% of Gaza, areas that have been mostly destroyed and depopulated. [5] Neil Quilliam, a Middle East expert at London’s Chatham House think tank, said expectations are low that Hamas will actually disarm or that Israel will withdraw from Gaza. [5] “I think that Netanyahu’s silence speaks volumes,” Quilliam said. [5] “This is a massive decision that he has to make.” [5] “But with the prospect of the elections hanging over his head, with several Cabinet ministers and opposition leaders already counseling not to go ahead with the deal, I think he understands that doing so would likely scupper his chances of reelection,” he added. [5] A U.S. official said Israel, which has been deeply skeptical about Hamas’ willingness to give up its guns or relinquish control of Gaza, had been consulted at every step of the negotiation. [5]

Role of Palestinian Administration and Guarantors

The deal’s guarantors are the U.S., Turkey, Egypt and Qatar. [5] A person with knowledge of the situation said that Israel is fully involved, but it’s not a signatory to the deal, which is between Hamas and several countries helping to negotiate and guarantee the ceasefire. [5] The person spoke on condition of anonymity in order to discuss the agreement. [5] A member of the Palestinian technocratic committee told the AP on Friday that it was eager to enter Gaza but was concerned Israel will pose challenges. [5] The person spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media. [5] The person said they didn’t expect to enter Gaza for at least two months. [5] The committee welcomed the progress Friday, but said the work to restore public institutions and services and rebuild the territory would be immense. [5] The agreement called for Hamas to disarm and hand over power to an independent Palestinian administration. [5]

Hamas officials announce agreement to begin disarming under US-brokered Gaza ceasefire deal. — Source: apnews

Context of the Ongoing War

The war in Gaza began after a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killed around 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage. [5] Israel’s retaliatory offensive in Gaza has killed more than 73,000 Palestinians, including those killed since the ceasefire, Gaza’s Health Ministry said. [5] The ministry, which is part of the Hamas-led government and is staffed by medical professionals, does not distinguish between civilians and militants in its toll but says women and children make up around half of all deaths. [5] The genocide in Gaza since October 2023, which has killed more than 73,000 Palestinians, has marked a historic turning point in the Palestinian struggle and in the nature of the conflict with the Zionist project. [1] Most of the territory’s 2 million Palestinians are in the other part, where hundreds of thousands live in squalid tent camps and destroyed neighborhoods. [5]

Reactions and Outlook

On Thursday, U.S. and Board of Peace officials, describing the deal to reporters on condition of anonymity under guidelines set by the White House, gave an extremely optimistic assessment. [5] While Gaza’s police force is expected to hand over its arms, that doesn’t include the vast majority of Hamas militants, and heavy weaponry is not included in that part of the agreement, according to the officials. [5] Instead, the surrender of heavy weapons and the decommissioning of Hamas tunnels and other infrastructure are to come later in a process that could take between 200 and 350 days, a Board of Peace official said. [5] A Hamas official and a regional official involved in the process said that Hamas and other groups agreed to “collect and store” arms inside Gaza under the supervision of the Palestinian technocratic committee and that weapons won’t be handed to Israel or non-Palestinian parties. [5] The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media, said this would be a gradual process linked to an Israeli withdrawal. [5] Hamas confirmed Friday that it will disarm in a potential breakthrough for ending the war in Gaza, but major obstacles remain. [4]

What to watch next: Progress remains stalled with Israel saying everything hinged on Hamas disarming, and Hamas accusing Israel of violating the agreement by continuing to carry out regular strikes on Gaza, while expectations of full implementation are low ahead of Israel's October elections.