Gaza Ceasefire Shows Signs of Hope! Trump Pushes 'Disarmament' Roadmap, Hamas First to Agree

After months of negotiations, Hamas has announced its agreement to a plan proposed by former U.S. President Donald Trump's 'Peace Committee' for the complete disarmament of Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Trump described the agreement as historic and a crucial step toward establishing a new Palestinian government. He stated that Israeli forces would withdraw from Gaza once Hamas and all other armed groups complete disarmament. Israel has not issued an official comment at this time.

BBC's Gaza correspondent, currently in Cairo, Egypt, reported that the plan includes the inventory and storage of Hamas's remaining heavy weapons under Palestinian supervision. The second phase of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas was supposed to begin six months ago, but progress has been minimal, and violence has continued. On Thursday (July 30), at least six Palestinians were reported killed by Israeli gunfire.

President Trump posted on Truth Social: 'This is a major milestone in implementing the 'Trump 20-Point Plan.' The agreement will be executed in carefully planned stages.' He added, 'Once disarmament is complete, Israeli forces will withdraw, and international stabilization forces will work alongside a new Palestinian police force to ensure the safety of Gaza residents and neighboring areas.' Trump also thanked the mediating countries—Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey.

According to AFP, citing Egyptian state media, Cairo will host a mediation meeting on the second phase of the ceasefire plan for Gaza.

The BBC has obtained the full text of the four-page roadmap, which outlines a phased process linking Hamas's disarmament, the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces, and the deployment of a new Palestinian transitional authority supported by international stabilization forces. U.S. officials say the plan is deliberately designed on a 'zero-trust' principle with independent verification mechanisms—neither side advances to the next stage until the other fulfills its commitments.

Officials stated that smaller armed groups in Gaza will disarm first, followed by Hamas dismantling what they describe as its state-level military infrastructure, including tunnels, weapons depots, and weapons production facilities. Officials acknowledge this process will take significantly longer and require greater technical expertise.

Once all stages are completed, a new Palestinian authority will have full control over weapons within Gaza.

Skepticism toward this announcement is expected. However, the BBC has independently confirmed through a senior Hamas official that the group has agreed to the roadmap—a significant development. Two points from U.S. and Peace Committee briefings stand out.

First, the process is strictly phased. U.S. officials repeatedly emphasized that each phase is conditional, independently verified, and based on 'zero trust.' Progress halts if one side fails to deliver, meaning the process could easily stall or collapse, as seen in past ceasefire attempts. Last October, a ceasefire brokered by Trump initially led to the release of Israeli hostages and increased humanitarian aid to Gaza. However, the truce later collapsed, bombing resumed, aid was cut off, and both sides blamed each other for violations.

Second, the proposed plan is extremely complex. It goes far beyond Hamas simply surrendering rifles. The roadmap envisions dismantling Hamas's broader military infrastructure—tunnels, heavy weapons, production facilities, and weapons depots. Smaller armed groups will disarm first, with Hamas's military capabilities addressed afterward, a process officials admit will be far more time-consuming and technically demanding.

If the disarmament plan holds, it could mark the first credible step toward ending the war that has lasted nearly three years and open the door to a broader political process. BBC Gaza correspondent Rushdi Abualouf, reporting from Cairo, noted that Hamas's acceptance of the Peace Committee's framework for full disarmament in Gaza could remove the biggest obstacle to advancing Trump-backed peace initiatives. This move comes shortly after Hamas completed its leadership election, with Gaza-based Khalil al-Hayya becoming the movement's new leader.

Palestinian officials involved in negotiations believe the new leadership is prepared to make what they describe as the most far-reaching political decision in Hamas's history, driven by the devastating humanitarian crisis facing over 2 million Palestinians in Gaza.

It is still too early to determine whether the agreement will be fully implemented or if all parties will uphold their commitments. However, if sustained, this could represent the first credible step toward ending the nearly three-year-long war and paving the way for a broader political process.