Trump Claims Gaza Disarmament Deal Reached, But Implementation Faces Significant Obstacles

President Donald Trump announced Thursday that a ceasefire agreement has been finalized requiring Hamas to surrender its weapons and Israel to withdraw military forces from Gaza, though substantial challenges and conditional requirements persist before the conflict fully concludes. The White House statement came approximately nine months after initial ceasefire terms were brokered by the United States, but neither Hamas nor Israel immediately confirmed their acceptance of the arrangement.

Trump’s 20-point plan requires the Iran-supported militant organization to relinquish firearms and dismantle its extensive tunnel infrastructure beneath Gaza. The agreement also calls for Israeli military withdrawal from the territory, establishment of an international security presence, formation of a new Palestinian administrative body, and reconstruction efforts in the devastated enclave following over two years of intensive conflict.

Negotiations between the two parties had stalled primarily over second-phase terms, particularly regarding Hamas disarmament and Gaza’s rebuilding process. Hamas previously insisted on completing the initial phase before addressing weapons surrender, citing its founding charter’s emphasis on armed resistance and the centrality of its military capabilities to organizational identity.

Officials briefed on condition of anonymity stated that heavy weapons and tunnel destruction would extend across 200 to 350 days, while a new Gaza police force would transfer lighter arms within two weeks. However, the surrender timeline does not encompass the substantial majority of Hamas militants or their advanced weaponry, according to the officials.

Hamas announced earlier this month that it dissolved its Gaza government to facilitate power transition to a United Nations-backed technical committee as part of ceasefire implementation. The militant organization has remained reluctant to permanently abandon its arsenal, which includes rockets, anti-tank missiles and explosive devices fundamental to its operational capacity.

U.S. officials stated that Israel, which has expressed deep skepticism regarding Hamas’s willingness to permanently disarm or relinquish control of Gaza, was consulted throughout negotiations. Israel faces no additional obligations beyond its original commitment to military withdrawal and cessation of airstrikes under Trump’s framework, officials said.

The conflict in Gaza began following the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led assault on southern Israel that killed approximately 1,200 people and resulted in 251 hostages. Israeli military operations in Gaza have resulted in more than 73,000 Palestinian deaths according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, with Israeli forces currently controlling over half of the territory and displacing Palestinians to tent settlements and damaged residential areas.