Hamas Signals Willingness to Disarm Under Proposed Gaza Agreement as Ceasefire Talks Continue

Hamas has signalled its willingness to disarm under a proposed agreement aimed at ending the war in Gaza, but said implementation would depend on Israel first fulfilling its commitments under an earlier ceasefire arrangement, as diplomatic efforts to secure a lasting truce continue.

President Donald Trump announced that his administration’s Board of Peace had reached what he described as a major breakthrough towards the complete disarmament of Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza. However, senior Hamas official Ghazi Hamad said the group would only move forward if Israel first halted military operations, increased humanitarian aid deliveries and withdrew its forces in line with previous agreements.

Hamad said Hamas was prepared to place its weapons under the supervision of the proposed National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG) once Israel complied with those conditions. He stressed that the group viewed the proposed arrangement as part of a phased peace process rather than an unconditional surrender.

Israeli officials have taken a different position, insisting that there will be no major troop withdrawal from Gaza until Hamas has fully disarmed. An Israeli political source said complete demilitarisation remains a prerequisite for any lasting agreement, highlighting the deep differences that continue to complicate negotiations.

The proposed framework forms part of broader international efforts involving the United States, Egypt, Qatar and other regional mediators to establish a post war administration for Gaza, oversee reconstruction and restore security after months of conflict. Under the plan, a technocratic Palestinian administration would gradually assume responsibility for governing the territory while an international stabilisation mechanism monitors implementation.

Despite the diplomatic progress, fighting has continued in parts of Gaza, underscoring the fragile nature of negotiations. Analysts say mutual distrust between Israel and Hamas, combined with disagreements over the sequencing of disarmament and military withdrawal, remain the biggest obstacles to achieving a durable ceasefire.