Hamas has announced that it has agreed to a peace
framework proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump aimed at ending the war in
Gaza, including provisions for the gradual disarmament of the group and the
phased withdrawal of Israeli forces from the territory.
The announcement was made on Friday, with Hamas
confirming its acceptance of a roadmap that would see its weapons handed over
to a Palestinian governing committee as part of a broader plan to restore
stability in Gaza.
Israel has not issued an official response to the
proposal. However, an Israeli political source said the framework does not
adequately address Israel's demand for the complete demilitarisation of Gaza.
The source also stated that the issue of Gaza was not discussed during the
recent meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President
Trump in Washington.
The disarmament of Hamas and other Palestinian armed
groups has remained one of the biggest obstacles to reaching a lasting peace
agreement.
President Trump described the reported breakthrough as
a major step toward ending the conflict, saying Hamas had agreed to
"complete disarmament" as part of the proposed arrangement for
establishing a new governing structure in Gaza.
According to Hamas officials, a committee established
under Trump's Board of Peace would supervise the storage of the group's
weapons. Hamas said it expects international mediators and the Board of Peace
to ensure that Israel fulfills its commitments, including the full withdrawal
of its troops from Gaza.
Ghazi Hamad, a member of the Hamas negotiating team,
said the movement had made significant concessions to protect civilians.
"We are making concessions for the sake of our
people in the Gaza Strip, to save them from killing and displacement,"
Hamad said.
He also insisted that Israel would have no role in
overseeing the disarmament process, stating that the responsibility would rest
solely with the National Committee.
Despite ongoing ceasefire arrangements, violence has
continued in parts of Gaza, with local health officials reporting that at least
four people were killed in Israeli strikes on Thursday.
In a statement posted on X, the Board of Peace
confirmed that Hamas had accepted a detailed roadmap for implementing the next
stages of the ceasefire agreement.
"Our focus now turns to implementation," the
statement said.
Under the proposed plan, the National Committee for
Administration of Gaza (NCAG) would gradually assume responsibility for
governing the territory.
President Trump said that once the disarmament process
is completed, Israeli forces would withdraw from Gaza, while an International
Stabilisation Force would work alongside a new Palestinian police force to
maintain security for residents.
Nickolay Mladenov, the Board of Peace's High
Representative for Gaza, said the agreement was the result of months of
difficult negotiations and stressed that successful implementation would be
critical.
He noted that the withdrawal of Israeli forces and the
dismantling of weapons infrastructure must proceed simultaneously and be
independently verified.
Mediators from Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, and the United
States are expected to meet in Cairo to discuss the next phase of the
transition. According to diplomatic sources, the roadmap also includes the
dismantling of tunnels, weapons depots, and arms production facilities under
the principle of "one authority, one law, one weapon."
Before Hamas announced its acceptance of the proposal,
Israeli officials reiterated that the complete disarmament of Hamas and the
full demilitarisation of Gaza remain essential conditions for any long-term
political settlement.
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