US President Donald Trump announced late Thursday, July 30, on his Truth Social platform that Palestinian resistance factions in Gaza, including Hamas, agreed to “complete disarmament.”

“Today, the Board of Peace reached a HISTORIC agreement for the COMPLETE DISARMAMENT of Hamas and all other armed groups in Gaza. This is a monumental step toward lasting PEACE and SECURITY,” Trump wrote.

“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. At the same time, Israel will have the security it deserves, with Gaza no longer used as a base for terror attacks,” the US president continued.

Trump described the development as a major milestone and a breakthrough in the implementation of his 20-point plan for post-war Gaza, indicating that the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) will withdraw from the besieged territory once the phased disarmament process is completed.

He also noted that the International Stabilization Force (ISF) “will work with a new Palestinian police force to take responsibility for Gaza being safe for its residents and its neighbors.”

Read more: Israeli cabinet approves deployment of ISF in Gaza

Hamas insists that the decommission of weapons and IOF’s withdrawal must proceed in parallel

Although Trump claimed the move as a personal victory, suggesting Palestinian factions had ultimately yielded to his demands, the specifics of the draft agreement released by Hamas on Friday, July 31, present a starkly different narrative.

Disarmament is conditional on IOF withdrawal and the cessation of Israeli hostilities

Hamas confirmed on Friday that Palestinian factions are maintaining that the IOF’s withdrawal from the war-torn enclave and the cessation of Israel’s hostilities are prerequisites for the disarmament plan.

Timeline and specifics of the proposed disarmament plan

As per the agreement, a clear weapons inventory plan should be outlined within 14 days. This deadline would be extended only with approval by both an international verification group and all involved parties.

Light weapons

According to the draft agreement, which Hamas said Israel must approve before the process begins, all light weapons including rifles and sidearms must be turned over to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG).

The NCAG is a transitional technocratic Palestinian administration appointed by Trump’s Board of Peace to run daily affairs in Gaza.

Light weapons held by Palestinian resistance groups will be handed over to the NCAG gradually over a period extending from 6 to 8 months, after the committee’s initial deployment across Gaza. Meanwhile, those currently at the disposal of existing civil police forces will transfer directly to the NCAG immediately upon its arrival to the Gaza strip.

Heavy weapons

Heavy weapons, including mortars, heavy machine guns, and shoulder-fired missiles, along with military production facilities will be counted, collected, and either disabled or securely placed into high-security storage facilities outside of Hamas’s reach. The stockpiling timeframe is estimated at 200 to 350 days.

NCAG will manage and safeguard the process, ensuring that no weapons may be turned over to Israel or any outside foreign entity. An international verification committee and the International Stabilization Force (ISF) will supervise the process to verify compliance. The NCAG and the ISF will conduct on-site inspections, to secure heavy weapon stockpiles and validate that armed factions are disbanded.

Destruction of tunnel networks

Based on the agreement, Hamas must provide a complete mapping of its underground network. This includes subterranean tunnels, arsenals, and smuggling routes, in order to be dismantled or demolished.

Hamas members will be offered amnesty, safe passage, or vetting into public sector roles

The agreement also offers Hamas members who disarm and commit to peaceful coexistence amnesty, while those wishing to leave Gaza will be guaranteed safe passage to host countries.

Although Hamas as an organization is strictly prohibited from holding any governing or administrative authority, its vetted civil servants or police officers may transition into other public sector roles in an individual capacity.

Netanyahu is the biggest hurdle facing the implementation of the agreement, say analysts

While Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not commented on Hamas’s acceptance of the agreement yet, statements issued by his office and cited by anonymous Israeli officials indicate Tel Aviv’s opposition to the move, and its determination not to withdraw its troops from Gaza.

Analysts further argued that Netanyahu will seek to procrastinate the implementation of the plan until Israeli elections are held in October, to save his political future.

Israel escalates its strikes on Gaza to torpedo the deal

Israel’s rejection of the significant development in the negotiation process was not limited to mere statements. It took the form of a fierce escalation against Gaza within 48 hours of Trump’s announcement.

Israeli warplanes launched a series of deadly airstrikes in different parts of the Gaza Strip over the weekend, including Gaza City, the southern city of Khan Younis, the central city of Deir Al-Balah and Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza.

Dozens of Palestinians were killed or wounded in the renewed aggression, according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza.

Mladenov urges Netanyahu to halt Gaza strikes so demilitarization can begin

In a desperate attempt to salvage the agreement, Director-General of Trump’s Board of Peace Nickolay Mladenov urged Israel on Monday, August 3, to stop its assaults on the Gaza Strip so that the intended demilitarization process could begin.

Mladenov’s calls for de-escalation in Gaza were quoted by Israeli media during his meeting with the Prime Minister that same day.

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