By Palestine Chronicle Staff
Trump announced a Hamas disarmament agreement, while Palestinian factions emphasized that implementation depends on Israel’s withdrawal and reconstruction.
Key Developments
- Trump announced an agreement providing for the complete disarmament of Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza.
- Hamas said implementation is conditional on Israel’s phased withdrawal and reconstruction of Gaza.
- Islamic Jihad said reports of a finalized agreement were inaccurate and voiced reservations.
- The implementation paper stipulates that Palestinian weapons will remain under Palestinian control throughout the process.
‘Complete Disarmament’
US President Donald Trump announced on Friday that the Board of Peace had reached an agreement providing for the “complete disarmament” of Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups in Gaza, describing it as a major step toward implementing the second phase of his administration’s Gaza peace initiative.
According to Trump, the agreement concludes months of negotiations conducted by the Board of Peace—a body created under his 20-point Gaza peace plan—and will now move into the implementation phase.
“It is a critical step towards Gaza finally being governed by a new Palestinian government,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Trump said Israel would withdraw from the Gaza Strip “as disarmament is completed” and that an International Stabilization Force, working alongside a newly established Palestinian police force, would assume responsibility for security in Gaza.
He described the agreement as “a major milestone in the implementation of the Trump 20-Point Plan” and thanked Egypt, Qatar and Türkiye for their mediation efforts.
Hamas: Withdrawal Comes First
However, senior Hamas official Ghazi Hamad, a member of the movement’s negotiating delegation, said that Hamas would not implement any disarmament measures before Israel fulfills its own obligations.
Speaking to Al Jazeera, Hamad said the issue of weapons is inseparable from Israel’s withdrawal and Gaza’s reconstruction.
He stressed that Israel would play no role in the process, which would instead be managed by a Palestinian national committee.
According to Hamad, Hamas will not begin implementing any security arrangements unless Israel first carries out the agreed withdrawal from Gaza.
He described the negotiations as “difficult and tough,” saying Hamas had sought to obtain the best possible outcome while safeguarding Palestinian rights.
Hamad also thanked Egypt, Qatar and Türkiye for their mediation.
Verification and Security Mechanism
According to the agreement reviewed by the BBC, Hamas’ remaining heavy weapons would be inventoried and placed under Palestinian supervision rather than transferred outside Palestinian control.
US officials said implementation would begin with smaller Palestinian armed groups before moving to Hamas’ larger military infrastructure, including tunnels, weapons depots and production facilities.
Officials described the agreement as being built on a principle of “zero trust,” meaning neither Israel nor Hamas would proceed to the next implementation phase until the other had fulfilled its commitments.
A meeting of mediators from Egypt, Qatar, Türkiye and the United States is expected to take place in Cairo in the coming days to discuss implementation.
Palestinian Islamic Jihad Voices Reservations
The Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement said reports suggesting a finalized agreement between Palestinian factions and Israel were inaccurate.
In a statement released Friday, the movement said it had “reservations” regarding the agreement in its currently circulated form.
The statement came shortly after Trump’s announcement, indicating that discussions among Palestinian factions regarding implementation remain ongoing.
Israel has not officially endorsed the agreement.
While Trump said Israel had already committed to the framework, Israeli officials have continued expressing skepticism regarding Hamas’ willingness to implement the disarmament process.
Israeli media reported earlier that the proposed terms under discussion did not satisfy Israel’s demands.
Clause 8: Weapons Remain Under Palestinian Control
Meanwhile, the Lebanese news network Al Mayadeen published an exclusive copy of Clause 8 of the implementation paper governing the agreement.
According to the document, the inventorying and storage of heavy weapons, military production facilities, weapons depots and tunnels would begin only after all remaining obligations under the Sharm el-Sheikh Protocol have been fulfilled and the designated National Committee enters Gaza.
The process would proceed gradually according to a sequential timetable lasting 14 days, although the deadline could be extended by the International Verification Committee with the consent of all parties.
Implementation is explicitly tied to a phased Israeli withdrawal from areas under Israeli military control in Gaza.
The process would be monitored by an International Verification Committee with support from the International Stabilization Force.
Importantly, the document specifies that Palestinian factions will participate directly in implementing the process and that no weapons will be transferred or handed over to Israel or to any non-Palestinian party.
Once the procedures outlined in Clauses 7 through 10 are completed, the National Committee would become the sole Palestinian authority responsible for retaining, storing and controlling all weapons in Gaza.
The implementation paper states that these measures are intended to facilitate a credible path toward Palestinian self-determination and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.
PFLP: Negotiations in the ‘Final Meters’
The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) said negotiations have entered the “final meters” toward reaching an agreement that would end Israel’s war on Gaza and begin reconstruction.
The movement stressed that continued political pressure would be necessary to ensure Israel fully implements the agreement and does not retreat from its commitments.
The PFLP reiterated its call for the full implementation of the ceasefire agreement, the reopening of Gaza’s crossings, the unrestricted entry of humanitarian aid, and the immediate assumption of responsibilities by Gaza’s administrative committee, while rejecting any form of external tutelage over the Palestinian people.
Reprinted from The Palestine Chronicle
