A deal has been reached between Hamas and the Trump Peace Council regarding a framework for the disarmament of Hamas in Gaza. The agreement was announced by U.S. President Donald Trump, who stated that the peace council had achieved an accord for the "complete disarmament" of Hamas and other armed groups in the region. Trump emphasized that Israel was "very satisfied" with the proposal, calling it a "major step for the Middle East." However, tensions remain high between Israel and Hamas over the sequence of steps required for a ceasefire. In response to the announcement, Israel intensified its military operations in the Gaza Strip, launching a wave of airstrikes that affected three cities within the enclave. The attacks resulted in the deaths of 13 civilians and left several others injured. Two residential buildings in the city of Gaza and the southern town of Khan Younis were hit, along with a refugee camp in the coastal area of Deir el-Balah. This marks the second consecutive night of Israeli strikes following another bombing on Saturday night that killed eight more people. The Israeli military claimed the targets of the attacks were militants affiliated with Hamas, asserting they successfully struck two fighters. However, Hamas framed the escalation as a reflection of the tensions arising from the group's announcement that it would disarm if Israel fully withdraws from Gaza. Ghazi Hamad, one of Hamas's principal negotiators, stated that Israel's actions confirm its unwillingness to reach an agreement. Last Friday, Trump declared that the Peace Council, established by the United States to oversee the ceasefire process, had reached an agreement for the "complete disarmament" of Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza. He insisted that Israel was "very satisfied" with the proposal, describing it as a "great step for the Middle East." Nevertheless, Israel and Hamas have clashed for months over how negotiations should proceed. While Hamas has taken a step forward by announcing its intention to disarm, it conditions this move on Israel's complete withdrawal from the Palestinian territory. For Israel, the order of these steps must be reversed. Eli Cohen, Israel’s energy minister, expressed skepticism about Hamas's disarmament during an interview with the Israeli army radio on Sunday. Cohen suggested that if progress in the arms handover process is not made, Israel should take full control of the Palestinian enclave. He denied that any agreement has been reached to halt attacks in Gaza, despite both sides having agreed to a ceasefire last October. The Israeli attacks coincided with a summit in Egypt, which brought together officials from various Palestinian factions and mediator countries such as Qatar and Turkey, aiming to achieve progress toward ending the conflict. Hamas considers itself to have shown "significant flexibility," awaiting commitments from Israel to advance negotiations that would end the war. It accuses Israel of seeking to impose a fait accompli through recent attacks in Gaza. Basem Naim, head of political relations for Hamas, stated that the escalation, occurring alongside political advancements, clearly demonstrates that the occupation government, how Hamas refers to Israel, aims to undermine efforts to end the war and impose facts through force. Hamas's announcement of its disarmament has highlighted the many uncertainties surrounding the current ceasefire process. According to the agreement, the transfer of weapons should be coordinated, supervised, and executed by the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, a provisional governing body composed of Palestinian technocrats that will also replace Hamas as the manager of the enclave's governance. However, the committee continues to operate from its provisional headquarters in Cairo because Israel does not allow its members to enter the Gaza Strip, leading to doubts about achieving any progress. Nikolai Mladenov, the senior representative of the Peace Council for Gaza, requested on Monday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu address the situation.
★
Keep the news honest.
ObjectiveNews is reader-funded and ad-free — we show you the bias instead of hiding it. Support independent journalism for €4/month.
Become a Supporter
Spain
