Hamas has agreed to a 15-point framework for Gaza ceasefire phases but won't implement the deal unless Israel approves it and carries out commitments from last year's Sharm el-Sheikh agreement. The framework, drafted with US President Donald Trump's Board of Peace and published one day ago, makes disarmament contingent on Israeli actions Hamas says haven't happened yet.
Ghazi Hamad, a Hamas official, told Reuters the group would retain its weapons until Israel halted its attacks, allowed more aid and goods into Gaza, and withdrew its forces. He called the agreement a "comprehensive framework" that went beyond disarmament and said Hamas insisted to mediators that "Israel must abide by the agreement." Under the Sharm el-Sheikh deal hammered out less than one year ago, Hamad said 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 weapons to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, or NCAG, the technocratic body set up to run the enclave.
The Weapons Question
The unpublished agreement says Hamas and other Palestinian factions won't hand Gaza's weapons to Israel. Instead, it places them under the control of the National Committee. The text says, "No weapons will be transferred or surrendered to Israel or any non-Palestinian parties," and says that by the end of the disarmament process, "the National Committee alone shall retain, store, or control weapons in Gaza." The document says the National Committee, as the transitional authority in Gaza, will be the sole authority for registering weapons, issuing and revoking licenses, and enforcing the law. All factions, clans and elements of Palestinian society in Gaza are required to cooperate with it.
US President Donald Trump said the Board of Peace would collect Hamas's weapons as the group begins to disarm. He said, "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," 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." Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said the draft agreement published by the "Peace Council" wasn't acceptable to Israel. He wrote, "The targeted killings in Gaza must continue, encouraging emigration must happen, Israel must win."
Implementation and Verification
The document says the transition from one phase to the next will depend on the verified completion of the previous phase's obligations, with an International Verification Committee responsible for certification. It says the inventory and collection of militia weapons and their storage under the authority of the National Committee will take place according to an agreed-upon timeline. Personnel from those militias won't be absorbed into the security apparatuses or police, and the National Committee will be responsible for handling 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. 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.
Governance and Financial Framework
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."
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. The Gaza health ministry said at least 73,341 Palestinians had been killed in Gaza since the Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel on the third anniversary of 7 October 2023, and another 174,086 Palestinians had been wounded.
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:
The framework's success hinges on whether Hamas will actually disarm and whether Israel can trust a Palestinian entity to control weapons that were used in the attacks nearly three years ago. The National Committee's ability to enforce "one authority, one law, one weapon" in Gaza remains untested, and the region's history shows that promises of disarmament often collapse when implementation begins. Israel's security establishment will scrutinize whether the International Verification Committee can genuinely certify Hamas compliance or whether the group will retain hidden arsenals. The disagreement between Trump's description of the Board of Peace collecting weapons and the actual text saying weapons stay under Palestinian control reveals potential implementation gaps. Ben-Gvir's rejection signals domestic Israeli resistance to any deal that doesn't guarantee Hamas's complete military defeat. The framework's phased approach means Israel must withdraw forces and ease restrictions before seeing whether Hamas will honour its commitments — a sequencing that reverses the security-first logic that has guided Israeli policy since the group's takeover of Gaza. Whether this arrangement prevents Hamas from rearming or simply creates a temporary lull before the next conflict will determine if the ceasefire becomes a foundation for stability or another failed agreement.