Trump announces Hamas disarmament deal; Israel, Hamas split
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- Donald Trump announced on July 31, 2026 that the Board of Peace — a Washington-established Gaza ceasefire oversight body — reached a 'historic agreement' for the complete disarmament of Hamas and all other armed groups in Gaza, part of his 20-Point Plan
- Hamas acknowledged the deal but said it would disarm only if Israel, which currently occupies more than 60% of Gaza, withdraws troops and 'stops killing Palestinians'; political bureau member Ghazi Hamad said the group made 'concessions for the sake of the Palestinian people'
- Itamar Ben Gvir, Israel's National Security Minister, called the deal 'unacceptable' and declared that 'the assassinations in Gaza must continue'; a senior Israeli official was quoted saying there will be no IDF withdrawal 'without the genuine disarmament of Hamas'
- Palestinian Islamic Jihad rejected reports of the agreement as 'inaccurate' and said it had reservations about the version being circulated, undermining claims of broad militant buy-in
- The Board of Peace released a 15-point road map tying Israeli withdrawal to Palestinian governance, reconstruction, and a 'credible political path' toward self-determination and statehood, with an International Stabilization Force working alongside a new Palestinian police force
- Trump credited Egypt, Qatar, and Turkiye for mediation efforts, noting disarmament would proceed in 'carefully structured phases'
Why it matters: The deal's survival hinges on two contradictory preconditions: Hamas ties disarmament to Israeli withdrawal, while an Israeli official insists withdrawal cannot happen without 'genuine' disarmament first — a deadlock that Ben Gvir's outright rejection widens from within Netanyahu's government.
