Hamas disarmament tests Trump Gaza peace initiative effort

What Happened

Hamas has agreed to a plan for implementing the next stages of US President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace initiative, according to the report. The agreement would involve Hamas relinquishing its weapons, a partial Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza, the deployment of an International Stabilization Force (ISF) with personnel from countries such as Morocco, Kosovo and Albania, and the assumption of governance by the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG). Verification of Hamas's disarmament is identified as the most problematic obstacle, as the group has spent decades building a terrorist arsenal including rifles, explosives, anti-tank missiles, rockets, drones, intelligence infrastructure and tunnels. The plan links Israeli withdrawal directly to the decommissioning process under international supervision, but sequencing disputes have plagued past Israeli–Palestinian agreements. The NCAG has pledged to restore public services and rebuild institutions, but faces devastated infrastructure and the need to establish legitimacy. The ISF’s mission is expected to extend beyond traditional peacekeeping to include security, humanitarian assistance and transition support, though past missions like UNIFIL in Lebanon illustrate the risk of armed group re-emergence without a strong mandate. The regional environment presents further challenges, as Iran and its allied militias could seek to undermine the agreement, and sustained engagement from backers including Egypt, Qatar, Turkey and the United States will be necessary.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The agreement represents a potential breakthrough in the Gaza war that began on 7 October 2023, offering a pathway to disarm Hamas, withdraw Israeli forces, and establish new Palestinian governance under international supervision. If successful, it could reshape the security and political landscape of the strip and reduce regional tensions, but failure risks prolonging conflict, emboldening armed groups, and undermining US diplomacy amid concurrent crises with Iran and in Lebanon.

Watch For

Monitor whether an International Verification Committee is established and begins inspections; the parallel progress of Israeli troop withdrawals and weapons decommissioning; the actual deployment and mandate strength of the International Stabilization Force; NCAG’s assumption of administrative functions and public reception; and any escalatory actions by Iran-aligned militias or diplomatic initiatives by Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, and the US that could affect implementation timelines.