US President Donald Trump on Thursday announced that an agreement had been reached for the "complete disarmament" of Hamas and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, describing the deal as a key step towards setting up a new Palestinian government in Gaza.
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The announcement comes nine months after a US-brokered ceasefire agreement was signed. Notably, talks between Israel and Hamas had remained stalled over the implementation of the second phase of the ceasefire, particularly the disarmament of Hamas and the reconstruction of Gaza.
Inside the Israel-Hamas peace deal
- Trump’s 20-point ceasefire proposal requires Hamas to hand over its weapons and dismantle its extensive tunnel network.
- The plan also includes the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, the formation of a new technocratic Palestinian government, the deployment of an international security force, and the rebuilding of the war-hit Palestinian territory.
- Trump said the agreement would be implemented in stages. As Hamas completes its disarmament, Israeli forces will gradually leave Gaza, while an International Stabilisation Force, working alongside a new Palestinian police force, will assume responsibility for security for the people of Gaza and neighbouring areas.
- The proposal had earlier made it clear that Palestinians would not be forced to leave Gaza and that the international community would support efforts to rebuild the territory for its people.
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- A detailed roadmap for the disarmament process must be prepared within 14 days, according to Al Jazeera, which reviewed a copy of the proposal. The deadline can be extended if approved by an international verification body and agreed to by all parties.
- The proposal also links the disarmament process to the phased withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
- It states that no weapons will be handed over to Israel or any non-Palestinian authority, and that the National Committee will be the only body authorised to retain weapons in Gaza.
- US and Board of Peace officials, speaking to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity, presented a highly positive assessment of the agreement. They spoke about a plan that closely matched the one presented by Trump and his senior aides when the Board of Peace, an international body created by Trump to oversee the Gaza ceasefire, was first established.
- The officials did not provide a specific timeline for the disarmament of Hamas or other armed groups operating in Gaza, including Palestinian Islamic Jihad. However, they reportedly said the Gaza police force would hand over its weapons to the technocratic, Board of Peace-backed Gaza administration within the next 2 weeks.
- The Gaza police force does not include most Hamas fighters, and the agreement does not cover heavy weapons at this stage, the officials added.
- Instead, the surrender of heavy weapons and the dismantling of Hamas tunnels and other military infrastructure will take place later as part of a process expected to last between 200 and 350 days, AP quoted an official as saying.
Hamas ‘agreed’ to Trump’s proposal
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- A detailed roadmap for the disarmament process must be prepared within 14 days, according to Al Jazeera, which reviewed a copy of the proposal. The deadline can be extended if approved by an international verification body and agreed to by all parties.
- The proposal also links the disarmament process to the phased withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
- It states that no weapons will be handed over to Israel or any non-Palestinian authority, and that the National Committee will be the only body authorised to retain weapons in Gaza.
- US and Board of Peace officials, speaking to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity, presented a highly positive assessment of the agreement. They spoke about a plan that closely matched the one presented by Trump and his senior aides when the Board of Peace, an international body created by Trump to oversee the Gaza ceasefire, was first established.
- The officials did not provide a specific timeline for the disarmament of Hamas or other armed groups operating in Gaza, including Palestinian Islamic Jihad. However, they reportedly said the Gaza police force would hand over its weapons to the technocratic, Board of Peace-backed Gaza administration within the next 2 weeks.
- The Gaza police force does not include most Hamas fighters, and the agreement does not cover heavy weapons at this stage, the officials added.
- Instead, the surrender of heavy weapons and the dismantling of Hamas tunnels and other military infrastructure will take place later as part of a process expected to last between 200 and 350 days, AP quoted an official as saying.
Hamas ‘agreed’ to Trump’s proposal
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Senior Hamas leaders told news agency AFP that the agreement had been finalised. They also said they expect the mediators and Trump's Board of Peace to ensure that Israel follows the terms of the deal.
"An agreement has been reached regarding the issue of weapons... Furthermore, an agreement has been reached on a gradual withdrawal of (Israeli forces)" from the strip, a Hamas official was quoted as saying by the agency.
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