Trump: Israel 'Happy' With Hamas Disarmament Deal
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- Trump told reporters at his Camp David Cabinet meeting Friday that Israel is "very happy" about the Board of Peace's agreement to disarm Hamas, saying "We do have an understanding with Israel" and "Israel helped us"
- Trump called the disarmament framework a "great breakthrough" and "big step for the Middle East," claiming "nobody ever thought that would be possible to disarm Hamas"
- Hamas agreed to disarm on the condition that Israel halts strikes and pulls out of Gaza, per Trump's Thursday announcement of the deal
- Netanyahu's office has not issued a public response to the framework since it was announced
- A U.S. official told reporters Thursday that Israel is "very skeptical" Hamas will follow through, but framed the agreement as "a conditions-based deal" rather than "a trust deal"
- Trump acknowledged the deal "will go through its ups and downs," calling Gaza "a very complex situation" with "people... very complex and difficult"
Why it matters: The gap between Trump's public optimism and the anonymous U.S. official's candid acknowledgment of Israeli skepticism exposes a credibility problem the administration must bridge to keep the framework alive. Hamas's precondition — full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza — and Netanyahu's silence leave the conditions-based milestones without a confirmed Israeli buy-in.
