- Hamas accepted a US-backed Gaza ceasefire roadmap
- Israel insists on full Hamas disarmament before withdrawal
- Mediators will meet to discuss the next phase
Hamas says it has accepted a United States-backed proposal aimed at ending the war in Gaza, including a plan for the gradual surrender of its weapons to a Palestinian administrative committee and the phased withdrawal of Israeli forces from the territory.
Eko Hot Blog gathered that the announcement followed a statement by US President Donald Trump, who said the agreement provides for the complete disarmament of Hamas as part of efforts to establish a new governing authority in Gaza.
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Israel has not officially responded to the development. However, a political source quoted by international media said Israeli troops would not withdraw from their current positions unless Hamas undergoes full and verifiable disarmament.
Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir also rejected the proposal, describing it as unacceptable and warning that it could allow Hamas to regroup.
According to Hamas officials, the National Committee for Administration of Gaza (NCAG), created under Trump’s Board of Peace initiative, will oversee the storage and transfer of the group’s weapons as part of the agreement.
Hamas said it expects international mediators and the Board of Peace to ensure Israel fulfils its obligations, including the gradual withdrawal of its forces from Gaza.
A member of Hamas’s negotiating team, Ghazi Hamad, said the group had agreed to significant concessions in an effort to protect Palestinians from continued violence and displacement.
He maintained that responsibility for overseeing the disarmament process would rest with the Palestinian administrative committee rather than Israel.
Despite a ceasefire that has been in place since October, hostilities have continued, with health officials reporting that Israeli airstrikes on Thursday killed at least four people, including two children.
The Board of Peace confirmed that Hamas had agreed to a detailed roadmap for implementing the next phase of the ceasefire, adding that attention would now shift to carrying out the agreement.
Trump said once Hamas is fully disarmed, Israeli troops would leave Gaza while an International Stabilisation Force and a newly established Palestinian police service would assume responsibility for security in the territory.
Nickolay Mladenov, the Board of Peace’s representative for Gaza, described the agreement as the outcome of months of difficult negotiations, stressing that strict implementation and verification would be essential.
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas welcomed the development but cautioned that its success would depend on all parties honouring their commitments, including Hamas’s compliance and Israel’s eventual withdrawal.
Meanwhile, Egypt is expected to host a meeting involving mediators from the United States, Qatar, Turkey and Egypt to discuss the second phase of the ceasefire process.
Diplomatic sources said the roadmap includes the dismantling of weapons stockpiles, tunnels and arms production facilities, alongside an independent verification mechanism to monitor compliance by both sides.
A Hamas source also disclosed that the group had submitted amendments to parts of the proposal, particularly those relating to disarmament, and is awaiting Israel’s response through international mediators.
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