US President Donald Trump has announced that the Board of Peace, which is working on his Gaza peace plan, has reached an agreement with Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups on a plan to disarm them. Trump described the development as a major step toward ending the conflict in Gaza. Under the proposed plan, Hamas would give up its weapons in phases. After the disarmament process, Israeli forces would gradually withdraw from Gaza, according to the plan. The plan also calls for Gaza to be governed by a new Palestinian administration. An international security force is expected to help maintain security during the transition, while a new Palestinian security and police structure would take greater responsibility for maintaining law and order. The proposed arrangement is part of Trump’s broader 20-point Gaza peace plan, which includes a transitional Palestinian administration, security arrangements, reconstruction and the restoration of basic services in Gaza. The United Nations Security Council has previously endorsed the broader framework and welcomed plans for an International Stabilization Force and a Palestinian committee to administer Gaza.
However, major challenges remain. Reports say Israel has expressed reservations about the current disarmament proposal, while Hamas has linked the disarmament process to Israeli withdrawal and other commitments under the agreement. This means that the announcement does not necessarily mark the final implementation of the deal. Israel has already approved measures related to the proposed International Stabilization Force, although the exact timing and structure of its deployment remain important issues. If the agreement is successfully implemented, it could mark a major change in Gaza’s security and political system. The biggest challenges will be ensuring a complete and verified weapons handover, securing an Israeli withdrawal, establishing effective Palestinian governance and beginning large-scale reconstruction. The coming weeks are therefore expected to be crucial for determining whether the proposed agreement can move from an announced framework to a fully implemented peace and security arrangement.
