Breakthrough in Gaza Disarmament Talks?

Negotiators implementing the Gaza cease-fire plan and Iran-backed Hamas have reached a framework for disarming militant groups in the Palestinian enclave, according to President Donald Trump.

Source: cdnph.upi.com

The tentative agreement, announced by Trump on July 30, could mark a significant breakthrough toward ending Israel’s war in Gaza, although it is contingent on Israel agreeing to withdraw its troops. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration has yet to comment on the agreement.

‘This agreement is a critical step towards Gaza finally being governed by a new Palestinian government that will work closely with the Board of Peace to help the Palestinian people,’ Trump said in a statement.

‘At the same time, Israel will have the security it deserves, with Gaza no longer used as a base for terror attacks.’

Key Provisions of the Agreement

Under the agreement, Israeli forces are to withdraw from Gaza after Hamas and other militant groups in the Palestinian enclave relinquish their weapons. The International Stabilization Force will then work with a new Palestinian police force to assume responsibility for security in the enclave.

The agreement concludes months of negotiations and is the first time Hamas has committed to disarmament. The Board of Peace, a coalition of 28 countries formed in January, is tied to a U.N.-backed, 20-point plan for the stabilization and reconstruction of Gaza.

The board said that the agreement ‘holds the promise of delivering significant benefits to the people of Gaza, who have waited for too long for a better future, and security to the people of Israel.’

Nickolay Mladenov, director general and high representative for Gaza on the Board of Peace, emphasized the importance of implementation and verification. ‘Withdrawal must move in lockstep with decommissioning,’ he said, adding that the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza and the Palestinian people ‘need the political and practical backing to take charge of their own future.’

The announcement comes after Hamas earlier this month said it was dissolving its government to make way for a civilian government, which Israel saw as a ‘trick’ unless Hamas also disarmed. Israel’s Defense Minister, Gideon Sa’ar, stated that ‘as long as Hamas retains its weapons, any civilian government will, of course, operate as Hamas dictates.’

‘Israel insists on the full implementation of the Trump plan, with its core principles being the disarmament of Hamas and all other terrorist organizations, and the complete demilitarization of the Gaza Strip.’

The disarmament agreement, as well as the Board of Peace, is part of a 20-point plan that Trump unveiled in September to end the war in Gaza. The war, which began on October 7, 2023, has caused widespread devastation and loss of life, with over 81% of all buildings and structures in Gaza either damaged or destroyed.

United Nations estimates show that more than $70 billion is needed to reconstruct the enclave, which measures about 25.4 miles long and between 2.7 and 7.5 miles wide along the Mediterranean.