Trump announces agreement for Hamas to disarm, setting path for new Palestinian government

Palestinians inspect damaged and destroyed buildings hit by Israeli strikes the previous night, central Gaza Strip on July 29, 2026. Photo by Eyad Baba/AFP via Getty Images

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U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday announced an agreement for the “complete disarmament” of Hamas, calling it a critical step toward a new Palestinian government in Gaza.

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“Today, the Board of Peace reached a HISTORIC agreement for the COMPLETE DISARMAMENT of Hamas and all other armed groups in Gaza. This is a monumental step toward lasting PEACE and SECURITY,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. “Israel will have the security it deserves, with Gaza no longer used as a base for terror attacks.”

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The president said the agreement would be carried out in structured phases involving the withdrawal of Israeli forces after Hamas’s disarmament is completed.

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“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,” he added, also thanking mediators from Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey.

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Neither Israel nor Hamas has confirmed the agreement publicly, but a senior Hamas official told AFP that “an agreement has been reached regarding the issue of weapons… Furthermore, an agreement has been reached on a gradual withdrawal of (Israeli forces)” from the strip.

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U.S. and Board of Peace officials said details of the deal will have to be refined over the next couple of weeks, with progress expected in the coming month or two.

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Cairo is set to host a meeting “soon” of the Gaza truce mediators, which also include the United States, Qatar and Turkey, state-linked Al-Qahera News reported early Friday in Egypt.

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The news outlet did not specify when the meeting would take place, but said that it would discuss implementing the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire plan, a roadmap for which Hamas and Palestinian factions have agreed to.

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Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire to end a two-year war sparked by the terrorist group’s 2023 assault on Israeli communities and military bases, which left some 1,200 Israelis dead and saw 250 abducted.

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Under Trump’s 20-point plan, the remaining Hamas hostages — both living and dead — were released from Gaza, paving the way for a change of governance and reconstruction of the territory. Gaza was devastated by the Israel-Hamas war, with the bulk of urban areas reduced to rubble by Israeli bombardments and an estimated 70,000 Palestinians killed.

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Trump’s plan envisioned Hamas fighters laying down their arms in exchange for amnesty. But Hamas refused to disarm, with control of Gaza roughly divided between the terror group and Israeli forces.

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Israel recently approved the deployment of ab International Stabilization Force into the enclave to maintain security and oversee demilitarization.

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— With files from AFP

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