By Ajibola Olaide, JKNewsMedia Report
AGREEMENT ON the complete disarmament of Hamas and all other armed groups in Gaza has been announced by United States (US), President Donald Trump, while Hamas and Israeli officials outlined conditions and responses surrounding the proposed plan.
JKNewsMedia.com reports that Trump said on Truth Social that the “Board of Peace reached a HISTORIC agreement for the COMPLETE DISARMAMENT of Hamas and all other armed groups in Gaza.”
He added that 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.”
Senior Hamas official Ghazi Hamad confirmed that Hamas had agreed to disarm, but only if Israel ceases fire, stops all targeted killings in Gaza, withdraws its troops to the so-called Yellow Line and allows a surge of humanitarian aid consistent with the October ceasefire agreement.
Hamad also said implementation depends on the deployment of the proposed International Stabilization Force to Gaza.
The Board of Peace stated that Hamas’ disarmament should be linked to “an Israeli withdrawal, in phases, from the area under its control in Gaza.”
In an updated peace plan published on Friday, the Board of Peace said Israel should cease military operations in Gaza “without delay” as the peace plan is implemented.
“The agreement is a package,” Hamad said.
“We will not begin any weapons related steps until Israel implements these commitments. Frankly, if Israel does not implement them, we will not proceed.”
Hamad also said the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza must enter the territory and assume governance.
He said the committee would take control of weapons belonging to Hamas’ police force, while Hamas’ heavy weapons would not be decommissioned or destroyed but instead “stored under the National Committee’s supervision.”
Hamas later said in a statement that disarmament also depends on the eventual establishment of a Palestinian state.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not publicly commented on Trump’s announcement.
Before the announcement, an Israeli official said “complete disarmament” of Hamas remained a precondition for any process and stated there would be no Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Yellow Line until demilitarisation is completed.
National Security Minister, Itamar Ben Gvir, rejected any agreement reached “through a third party” and said Hamas must be destroyed.
Religious Zionist party minister Orit Strouk described the agreement as “dangerous.”
Israel’s security cabinet also approved the deployment of a limited international stabilisation force comprising 200 troops from Morocco and Uganda to a pilot zone in Rafah.
An Israeli official described the deployment as an initial and limited measure requiring further approval for additional deployment.
Trump said the US had an “understanding” with Israel to begin implementing the peace deal.
“Israel is very happy about it,” Trump said, adding the country was “very good” in accepting the deal.
Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, said Hamas must “actually” disarm before any further steps, adding that “cosmetic solutions” would not work for Israel.
An Israeli source familiar with the discussions said Netanyahu was unlikely to publicly oppose the agreement because he believed Hamas would ultimately violate its terms.
Opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot criticised Netanyahu’s silence, saying it “raises serious questions as to whether Israel is a partner to it, or whether, once again, an agreement is being imposed on Israel without its involvement.”
A United States official said Trump would be “very, very disappointed” if Israel failed to meet its commitments under the peace plan.
“We’re not asking Israel to do anything other than agree to the 20 point plan that they agreed to initially, and so we’re very confident they will adhere to it,” the official said.
United States and Board of Peace officials described the agreement as the result of months of “very delicate negotiations” that produced a “breakthrough” while describing it as “a conditions based deal.”
Trump thanked mediators from Egypt, Qatar and Turkey, as well as his administration, for helping broker the agreement.
Officials said detailed conditions are expected within two weeks and that movement between phases will occur only after verified completion of the previous stage approved by an implementation verification committee.
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