World reacts with cautious optimism to Hamas disarmament agreement
Hamas has agreed to a phased disarmament deal in exchange for Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza, announced by President Trump following mediation by Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, and the United States. The agreement aims to end Israel's nearly three-year military campaign in Gaza, though implementation concerns persist given the failure of a previous ceasefire phase and deep mistrust between parties.
A disarmament agreement between Hamas and Israel has been formally announced, with the framework requiring the Palestinian group to surrender weapons in stages while Israeli forces withdraw from Gaza. The deal was confirmed by the United States and other mediating parties, including Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, which had jointly developed a roadmap for advancing the ceasefire process.
President Trump characterized the agreement as historic and a cornerstone of his broader peace initiative for the region. He emphasized that the arrangement would provide Israel with security guarantees while establishing conditions for new Palestinian governance in Gaza. Trump acknowledged the complexity of implementation but stated that Israel expressed satisfaction with the terms.
Israeli political figures offered divided responses. Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir rejected the draft agreement, arguing that commitments to halt targeted operations against Hamas leaders would undermine Israeli security. Former military chief Gadi Eisenkot similarly criticized the plan, contending that allowing Hamas to survive and potentially rearm contradicted stated Israeli objectives.
The agreement represents a second attempt at ceasefire following an October truce that failed to sustain peace. Observers have expressed caution about whether this framework will succeed where the previous phase collapsed, citing the historical mistrust between the parties and questions about enforcement mechanisms.
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