Trump announced a “historic” deal for Hamas to fully disarm in Gaza. Hamas wants Israel to withdraw first. Israel wants Hamas to disarm first. Will it hold?

U.S. President Donald Trump announced Thursday that his newly formed “Board of Peace” has reached what he called a “HISTORIC agreement for the COMPLETE DISARMAMENT of Hamas and all other armed groups in Gaza”.

The announcement marks the first time Hamas has agreed in principle to a specific disarmament plan. But both Hamas and Israeli officials quickly signaled major conditions still need to be met.

What Trump Announced
In a post on Truth Social, Trump called the deal a “monumental step toward lasting PEACE and SECURITY”.

According to Trump, the plan includes:
1. Phased disarmament of Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza
2. Israeli withdrawal in phases as disarmament proceeds
3. New governance – Gaza to be run by a new Palestinian government working with the “Board of Peace”
4. New security force – An International Stabilization Force working with a new Palestinian police force

Trump said Friday that “Israel is very happy about it” and that Israel helped negotiate the deal.

Hamas: “We Won’t Disarm First”
A Hamas source described the agreement as a “draft”. Senior Hamas official Ghazi Hamad told Al Jazeera: “We will not take any action regarding disarmament prior to Israel’s withdrawal from the Strip”.

On Friday, Hamas issued a statement saying the first step must be Israel “stopping the killing and ending its attacks”.

A Hamas official also called it a “difficult and painful” agreement.

Israel: “No Withdrawal Without Disarmament”
Israel has not formally endorsed the plan. An Israeli official said Israel’s position remains: “there will be no withdrawal whatsoever of the IDF from the current Yellow Line unless Hamas undergoes a genuine disarmament”.

U.S. officials told reporters Israel is “very skeptical that Hamas will disarm”.

Israeli Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir also criticized the draft, saying it was “unacceptable”.

Why This Matters
If implemented, this would be the first concrete disarmament commitment from Hamas. The goal is to end the war in Gaza and allow a new Palestinian administration to take over.

But the core issue remains: who goes first. Past ceasefire attempts have collapsed over mutual distrust and sequencing.

A “Board of Peace” official estimated the process could take 200 to 320 days, though U.S. officials played down that timeline.

What Happens Next
Within hours of Trump’s announcement, Gazan medical authorities reported one Palestinian killed and several wounded in Israeli airstrikes, highlighting how fragile the situation remains.

Trump called it a “major milestone in the implementation of the Trump 20-Point Plan” to end the war.