U.S. President Donald Trump announced that an agreement had been reached for armed groups in Gaza to lay down their weapons. In a post on his social media account, Trump said the Peace Council had reached a historic agreement on Hamas and all other armed groups in Gaza completely laying down their arms.
Under the agreement, Israeli forces will withdraw as disarmament is completed, and the International Stabilization Force will secure Gaza together with a new Palestinian police force, he said. Trump thanked Turkey, Qatar and Egypt for their mediation roles, saying historic progress had been made but much work remained.
Warning to Israel
A U.S. official who spoke to the Washington Post on condition of anonymity said Hamas had accepted the draft agreement through Egyptian mediators, but that it was not very different from the 20-point plan Israel had agreed to in principle a year ago. The official said they wanted Israel to adhere to the plan it initially accepted, otherwise President Trump would be disappointed.
Denial from Islamic Jihad
A spokesperson for the Islamic Jihad Movement said reports of an agreement announced between Palestinian groups and Israel were not true. A written statement said the information announced in the media was not accurate and that reservations were expressed about it in its current form.
Conditional Approach from Hamas
Hamas negotiating team member Ghazi Hamad told Al Jazeera that they would not take any step toward laying down arms unless Israel fully fulfills its commitments under the agreement. Hamad stressed that the weapons issue is directly linked to other key issues such as Israel's withdrawal from Gaza and the reconstruction of the area. Reminding that Israel had violated previous agreements, Hamad described Israel as an aggressive state built on treachery and killing.
Peace Council Representative Confirms
Gaza Peace Council High Representative Nickolay Mladenov announced on his X account that an agreement had been reached on disabling weapons in Gaza and civilian passage. Mladenov stated that Israel's withdrawal from occupied areas must proceed simultaneously with the laying down of arms. He thanked Trump for his leadership in advancing the process, and Turkey, the U.S., Egypt, Qatar and the UAE for their support when negotiations stalled. Mladenov said there was a political horizon ahead with a rebuilt Gaza, governed by Palestinians and living in peace with Israel.
