Hamas has agreed to a 15-point framework for disarmament in Gaza but won't implement it unless Israel first fulfills commitments made under last year's ceasefire — including ending attacks, withdrawing forces, and allowing more aid into the enclave. The framework, published one day ago by US President Donald Trump's Board of Peace, places weapons under Palestinian control rather than Israeli hands, a key distinction that reflects the group's insistence on sovereignty even as it agrees to disarm.
Ghazi Hamad, a Hamas official, told Reuters the agreement was "comprehensive" but conditional. "We insisted to the mediators that Israel must abide by the agreement," he said. Under the ceasefire deal hammered out less than one year ago in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, Israel was obliged to end its attacks in Gaza, withdraw its forces to where they stood in October, and increase the flow of goods and aid into the enclave. Only then would Hamas hand over its weapons to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, or NCAG, the technocratic body set up to run the enclave.
Weapons Under Palestinian, Not Israeli, Control
The unpublished agreement makes clear that Hamas and other Palestinian factions won't hand Gaza's weapons to Israel. Instead, the text says, "No weapons will be transferred or surrendered to Israel or any non-Palestinian parties." By the end of the disarmament process, "the National Committee alone shall retain, store, or control weapons in Gaza." The National Committee, as the transitional authority, will be the sole body for registering weapons, issuing and revoking licenses, and enforcing the law. All factions, clans, and elements of Palestinian society in Gaza are expected to cooperate with it.
The document says the transition from one phase to the next depends on verified completion of the previous phase's obligations, with an International Verification Committee responsible for certification. Personnel from militias won't be absorbed into security apparatuses or police, and the National Committee will handle internal security incidents. The agreement says the International Stabilization Force won't perform policing duties, tasks related to Palestinian society, ceasefire enforcement, or training of Palestinian police. It will instead monitor compliance by all parties, the flow of humanitarian and essential needs into Gaza, and any non-policing tasks requested by the National Committee.
Israeli Forces and Financial Obligations
The text says Israeli forces will complete their phased withdrawal from Gaza according to an agreed-upon timeline and includes a commitment not to force anyone to leave the Strip. The governance section sets a financial ceiling of $400 million for legitimate obligations toward suppliers, contractors, and other parties, to be implemented gradually over three years according to priorities determined by the National Committee. Any unresolved financial rights, liabilities, or claims are to be addressed later in a broader national process. The agreement also says Gaza will be governed according to the principle of "one authority, one law, one weapon."
US President Donald Trump said the Board of Peace would collect Hamas's weapons as the group begins to disarm. "It's going to be run by the Board of Peace. This Board of Peace has been amazing. It's led by some amazing people," he said after a reporter asked who would take possession of the weapons. Trump also said he has "an understanding with Israel" and that "Israel is very happy about it." But Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said the draft agreement published by the "Peace Council" wasn't acceptable to Israel and wrote, "The targeted killings in Gaza must continue, encouraging emigration must happen, Israel must win."
The Human Toll
The Gaza health ministry said at least 73,341 Palestinians had been killed in Gaza since the Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, the third anniversary of which is approaching. Another 174,086 Palestinians had been wounded. Hamas said on Friday that any agreement for "complete disarmament" of Palestinian factions in Gaza depends on Washington and Israel honouring commitments made under the 10 October ceasefire deal.
International Reactions
Saudi Arabia called the Board of Peace announcement "historic" and said the Kingdom commended President Trump's leadership and steadfast commitment. It said the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, the deployment of the International Stabilization Force, and the continued, unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance and reconstruction support were important. Kaja Kallas, the European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, called the developments "constructive" and said, "A lot needs to fall in place for this to work. Success depends on the full commitment of all parties. Verifying Hamas' compliance will be a significant challenge. Israel would need to eventually withdraw from Gaza."
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said he "welcomes" the news of disarmament along with Israeli withdrawal and praised the mediating countries including the United States of America, Egypt, Qatar, and Turkiye. Canada called the disarmament announcement "an important step," and Prime Minister Mark Carney said Canada remained committed to a just and lasting resolution based on a negotiated two-state solution.
Why This Matters:
This framework represents the most detailed disarmament proposal since the war began, but its success depends entirely on Israeli compliance with commitments made less than one year ago — commitments that haven't been fully implemented. The fact that weapons will remain under Palestinian, not Israeli, control reflects Hamas's insistence on sovereignty and the deep mistrust that defines this conflict. With over 73,000 Palestinians killed and 174,000 wounded, the human cost of continued fighting is staggering. The gap between international praise for the framework and Israeli rejection of it — embodied in Ben-Gvir's call for continued killings and "encouraging emigration" — shows how far apart the parties remain. Without Israeli withdrawal, increased aid, and an end to attacks, disarmament won't happen. And without disarmament, the cycle of violence that's defined Gaza for nearly three years won't end. The international community's challenge isn't drafting agreements — it's enforcing them.