U.S. President Donald Trump announced in a statement on social media that a historic agreement had been reached for armed groups in Gaza to lay down their arms. Trump stated that the Peace Council had agreed on Hamas and all other armed groups completely disarming.
Trump said, "The Peace Council reached a historic agreement today on Hamas and all other armed groups in Gaza completely laying down their arms." He explained that under the agreement, as disarmament progresses, Israeli forces would withdraw and an International Stabilization Force, together with a new Palestinian police force, would provide security for Gaza.
The U.S. President thanked Turkey, Qatar and Egypt for their mediation, saying, "We have made historic progress and there is still much work to be done." He stressed that this agreement is a critical step toward Gaza being governed by a new Palestinian government.
US Official Warns Israel
A US official who spoke to the Washington Post on condition of anonymity said that Hamas had accepted the draft agreement through Egyptian mediators, but that it was not very different from the 20-point plan Israel had accepted in principle a year ago. The official said, "We are asking nothing more of Israel than to adhere to the 20-point plan they initially accepted. If they do not, President Trump will be very disappointed."
Islamic Jihad Denies Deal
The spokesperson for the Islamic Jihad Movement said in a written statement that reports of an agreement reached between Palestinian groups and Israel were not true. The statement said, "The information announced in the media is not correct. We express reservations about it in its current form."
Hamas Takes Conditional Stance
Hamas negotiation 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 said, "Israel is an aggressive state built on treachery and killing."
Peace Council Representative Confirms Deal
Gaza Peace Council High Representative Nickolay Mladenov announced on his X account that an agreement had been reached on the deactivation of weapons and civilian passage in Gaza. 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 US, Egypt, Qatar and the UAE for their support when negotiations stalled. Mladenov said, "Ahead of us lies a rebuilt Gaza, governed by Palestinians, living in peace with Israel, and a political horizon."
