President Donald Trump declared a major breakthrough in his administration’s effort to end the war in Gaza on Thursday, announcing that Hamas has agreed to a phased plan to surrender its weapons in exchange for a gradual Israeli military withdrawal from the territory.
The agreement, unveiled as part of Trump’s broader 20-point peace initiative, would see Hamas dismantle its military infrastructure and give up control of Gaza while an International Stabilization Force and a new Palestinian government take over security and civilian administration.
“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,” Trump wrote in a social media post.
“At the same time, Israel will have the security it deserves, with Gaza no longer used as a base for terror attacks,” Trump added.
Trump called the deal a “major milestone” in his peace plan and said implementation would unfold in carefully managed phases.
“As disarmament is completed, Israeli forces will withdraw, and the International Stabilization Force will work with a new Palestinian police force to take responsibility for Gaza being safe for its residents and its neighbors,” Trump said. “Under this agreement, Gaza will finally be in the hands of a new Palestinian government that serves its PEOPLE.”
The president also thanked Egypt, Qatar and Turkey for helping negotiate the latest phase of the agreement.
POLL: Do You Approve Of Secretary Of War Pete Hegseth?
The Board of Peace, the multinational body created by the United States to oversee the peace plan, said Hamas had accepted “a detailed Roadmap for implementing the next phases of the Gaza ceasefire” after months of negotiations.
“The Roadmap represents a historic breakthrough,” the board said. “For the first time, Hamas officially has committed to an actionable plan for relinquishing all its weapons, which will be followed by Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.”
The roadmap builds on Trump’s peace proposal unveiled last fall, which produced a ceasefire and facilitated exchanges of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners. The broader framework also calls for Hamas to surrender its weapons, dismantle its tunnel network and military infrastructure, relinquish power to a new technocratic Palestinian government, allow expanded humanitarian aid into Gaza and pave the way for an internationally backed reconstruction effort once security conditions are met.
Earlier this month, Hamas announced it had dissolved its governing authority in Gaza to make way for the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, a transitional body created as part of the plan’s second phase.
The Israel-Hamas war began after Hamas terrorists attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing more than 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. Israel responded with a sweeping military campaign in Gaza. According to the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health, more than 73,000 Palestinians have been killed during the conflict, including more than 1,200 since the ceasefire took effect. The United Nations said last week that humanitarian conditions in Gaza remain “brutal.”
POLL: Will You Support Trump And His Candidates In The Midterms?
