The 'Board of Peace' announced a Palestinian body will take Hamas weapons. That's not what Trump said

What Happened

On Friday, US President Donald Trump told reporters that the 'Board of Peace'—an organization for which he is chairman for life—would be the entity to collect Hamas’s weapons as the group disarms. However, hours earlier, the Board itself had posted on X that 'Only the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG),' a Palestinian technocratic body, 'will hold, store or control any weapon in the Strip.' The discrepancy came during Trump’s first on-camera comments on the Board of Peace’s disarmament announcement. Bishara Bahbah, a former backchannel between Hamas and Trump’s team, said there was no contradiction, suggesting the Board would collect weapons and then hand them to a third party, likely Egypt. Meanwhile, Hamas representative Ghazi Hamad said any agreement for 'complete disarmament' depends on Israel honouring commitments under the 10 October ceasefire deal. Israeli drone strikes killed at least two people in Gaza on the same day. Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir rejected the draft agreement, insisting 'targeted killings in Gaza must continue, encouraging emigration must happen.' Analysts noted that Israel may be stalling, and that Prime Minister Netanyahu faces elections in less than two months, making compromise unlikely.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The confusion over who would control Hamas’s weapons exposes the chaotic and fragile nature of the disarmament framework, which is central to any long-term ceasefire. The episode underscores diverging US, Israeli, and Palestinian interpretations, and the political pressures on Netanyahu to avoid concessions ahead of elections. The Board of Peace’s role—and the ambiguous vision for Palestinian statehood—also tests whether Arab and European stakeholders will support a process that Hamas may view as a national surrender rather than a mutually binding agreement.

Watch For

Watch whether Hamas begins disarming and whether the NCAG or Egypt physically receives weapons. Monitor Israeli military actions in Gaza and statements from Ben-Gvir’s faction, as well as Netanyahu’s electoral maneuvering. Pay attention to Trump’s level of personal involvement in pressuring Israel and to reactions from Arab and European signatories to the Board of Peace, particularly regarding the absence of a two-state framework. The October ceasefire’s durability and hostage negotiations remain linked to these disarmament talks.