Trump Dismisses Concerns Over New Gaza Disarmament Deal Brokered by Peace Board
President Trump brushed off questions on Friday regarding a new plan to disarm Hamas, asserting that Israel was “very happy” with the agreement despite visible concerns from the Israeli government. Speaking to reporters after a cabinet meeting at the Camp David presidential retreat, Mr. Trump stated that an understanding had been reached with Israel, though he tempered expectations a day after calling the initiative a “historic breakthrough,” warning that the process would likely face “ups and downs.” The plan was officially brokered by the Board of Peace—a multinational body established by Mr. Trump in early 2025 alongside Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey—to oversee Gaza’s reconstruction and peace efforts following a conflict that began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas raids killed roughly 1,200 people and subsequent Israeli military operations killed more than 70,000 individuals, according to Gaza health officials.
Washington Announcement Revives Regional Tensions and Complex Alliances
The sudden emergence of the Gaza disarmament plan in Washington followed a period where the conflict had been overshadowed by the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran, during which Mr. Trump triumphantly declared on Thursday night that Hamas had agreed to “complete disarmament.” This diplomatic friction compounds existing disagreements between Mr. Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding the wisdom of diplomacy with Iran and Israel’s military campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon. While Mr. Trump has pursued negotiations with Tehran over its nuclear program and the Strait of Hormuz, and previously compelled Mr. Netanyahu to limit strikes against Hezbollah, the latest 15-point agreement is designed to build upon an October 2025 cease-fire that secured the release of remaining hostages and numerous Palestinian prisoners while allowing modest shipments of food and medicine into the territory.
Israeli Political Resistance and Hamas Hedging Threaten Implementation
Implementation of the new framework faces immediate domestic and tactical hurdles as Prime Minister Netanyahu has refrained from issuing a formal statement, while right-wing national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir denounced the plan as “unacceptable” on social media, and an anonymous diplomatic official insisted on “genuine” disarmament. Meanwhile, Hamas appeared to hedge its stance on Friday by indicating it would only surrender heavy weapons once Israel halted attacks, while retaining light weapons like assault rifles to maintain internal political control. The 15-point agreement sets a two-week window for parties to determine a gradual, time-bound implementation schedule for storing weapons and decommissioning tunnels under Gaza, where the U.N. World Food Program recently reported that approximately 200,000 Gazans remain gripped by emergency hunger.
Amidst competing priorities and potential friction over the exact definition of disarmament, analysts note that both Israel and Hamas are positioned to closely scrutinize every detail to secure their own interests. Although the agreement aims to advance previous unfulfilled pledges from the October cease-fire—under which Israeli troops withdrew to a midway “yellow line” before Israel expanded its control to roughly two-thirds of the territory—right-wing factions continue to push for total reclamation and Jewish settlements. As Mr. Trump seeks to leverage this diplomatic effort to bolster a peacemaking image following an unpopular war in Iran, ensuring strict follow-through remains a formidable challenge amid deep-seated mistrust and ongoing geopolitical disputes.
