Trump Claims Hamas Disarmament Deal, but Both Sides Dispute the Terms

President Donald Trump declared Thursday that a deal had been reached for Hamas to fully disarm and for Israeli forces to exit Gaza, framing it as a turning point in the long-running conflict. However, statements from Israeli and Hamas officials almost immediately revealed deep divisions over how — and in what order — any of those commitments would be carried out.

Trump Announces 'Critical Step' Toward Gaza Governance

In a social media post, Trump described the arrangement as "a critical step towards Gaza finally being governed by a new Palestinian government" operating alongside his administration's Board of Peace. He added that Israel would retain "the security it deserves, with Gaza no longer used as a base for terror attacks." The Board of Peace, a US-led diplomatic body, echoed that framing, calling the development a significant milestone in the broader ceasefire process.

The announcement builds on a US-brokered ceasefire that both parties signed last year. That agreement had since stalled, particularly on the terms of the deal's second phase — specifically, how Hamas would be disarmed and how Gaza would eventually be rebuilt after more than two years of war. According to The Guardian World, Trump's 20-point plan calls for Hamas to surrender weapons, destroy its tunnel network, accept an international security force, and cede governing authority to a technocratic Palestinian administration.

Sequencing Dispute Threatens to Unravel Progress

The central sticking point appears to be timing. Hamas has made clear it will not move on disarmament until Israeli forces leave Gaza first. Ghazi Hamad, a member of the Hamas negotiating team, stated plainly that "we will not take any action regarding disarmament prior to Israel's withdrawal from the Strip." Hamad further warned that Hamas would only uphold the agreement if Israel fulfilled its own obligations.

Israel, for its part, holds the opposite position. An Israeli official told Reuters that complete demilitarization of Gaza — including the physical removal of weapons — must be a precondition for any further steps, and that the current terms on the table do not adequately address that requirement. The official said Israel had formally conveyed its objections.

A US official briefing reporters late Thursday acknowledged the friction, noting that Israel remained "very sceptical that Hamas will disarm." The same official indicated that Trump would be "very, very disappointed" should Israel fail to honor the agreement — a signal that Washington is pressing both sides, though with different kinds of leverage.

Timeline Remains Vague; Violence Continues

US and Board of Peace officials were unable to provide firm timelines for disarmament, offering only a rough window of 200 to 350 days. Hamas suggested that even the preliminary details of implementation could take at least 14 days to negotiate, with talks involving mediators from Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey expected in the coming days.

On the ground, the situation in Gaza showed little sign of reflecting the diplomatic optimism. Israeli strikes killed at least six Palestinians on Thursday, including two children, according to local medical sources. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also stated that Israel intends to expand its military footprint to cover roughly 70 percent of Gaza — a posture difficult to reconcile with the withdrawal envisioned under the Trump plan.

Hamas itself has shown limited appetite for surrendering the arsenal — rockets, anti-tank missiles, and explosives — that underpins its political and military identity. Earlier this month the group announced it had dissolved its governing administration in Gaza and would transfer authority to a UN-backed technical committee, a move consistent with the ceasefire framework but well short of disarmament.

Broader Stakes for Trump's Foreign Policy

The Gaza announcement is the latest high-stakes diplomatic move from an administration that has pursued an assertive foreign policy posture on multiple fronts. Trump has simultaneously pressed allies on defense burden-sharing — as seen in his meeting with NATO chief Rutte amid European tensions — while also wielding economic pressure tools such as threatened tariffs on EU digital services. Domestically, legislative priorities have also run into headwinds, including a stalled bipartisan housing bill.

Whether the Gaza disarmament framework holds together will depend on whether both sides can resolve fundamental disagreements that, as of Thursday evening, remained very much open.