Israel yet to respond; Sa’ar previously demanded full disarmament
The tentative agreement could mark a significant step toward ending the war, but is conditional on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration agreeing to a military withdrawal. Netanyahu’s office has not commented on the announcement.
Trump said in a statement that the agreement is “a critical step towards Gaza finally being governed by a new Palestinian government that will work closely with the Board of Peace to help the Palestinian people.” He added that “at the same time, Israel will have the security it deserves, with Gaza no longer used as a base for terror attacks.”
The Board of Peace, a coalition of 28 countries formed in January and tied to a U.N.-backed, 20-point stabilization plan, said the agreement concludes months of negotiations and is the first time Hamas has committed to disarmament. Under the terms, Israeli forces are to withdraw after Hamas and other militant groups relinquish their weapons.
Trump said that after an Israeli withdrawal, the International Stabilization Force will work with a new Palestinian police force to assume security responsibility for the enclave.
Nickolay Mladenov, the Board of Peace’s director general and high representative for Gaza, said in a statement that “implementation and verification have to be real.” He added that “withdrawal must move in lockstep with decommissioning” and that the transitional governing authority and the Palestinian people “need the political and practical backing to take charge of their own future.”
The announcement comes after Hamas earlier this month said it was dissolving its government to make way for a civilian administration. Israel’s Defense Minister Sa’ar called that move a “trick” unless Hamas also disarms. “As long as Hamas retains its weapons, any civilian government will, of course, operate as Hamas dictates,” Sa’ar said in a statement. “Israel insists on the full implementation of the Trump plan, with its core principles being the disarmament of Hamas and all other terrorist organizations, and the complete demilitarization of the Gaza Strip.”
The war began Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas and other militant groups attacked Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostage. Israel responded with an offensive that has damaged or destroyed much of Gaza. The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former defense minister alleging war crimes and crimes against humanity during the campaign. United Nations estimates show more than 81% of all buildings and structures in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed, and U.N. agencies have said around $70 billion is needed to reconstruct the enclave.