2026-08-01 · contested story
Hamas reaches Gaza disarmament agreement with Board of Peace
President Donald Trump announced on Thursday, July 30, 2026, that his Board of Peace had reached a 'historic' agreement with Hamas for the 'complete disarmament' of the group and all other armed factions in Gaza, transferring civilian and security control to a new Palestinian technocratic body called the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG). The deal, negotiated over months in Cairo with mediators from Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, envisions a phased 200-to-250-day process linking Hamas's decommissioning of weapons and tunnels to a gradual Israeli military withdrawal, overseen by an International Stabilization Force. Hamas confirmed it agreed to a 'roadmap' but insisted disarmament would only proceed after Israel withdraws, while Israel signaled deep skepticism, with an Israeli official saying the proposal did not meet demands for 'complete demilitarization' as a precondition, and far-right minister Itamar Ben-Gvir dismissing it as 'unacceptable.'
How each side frames it
left
"Trump framed the disarmament – which he said would take place in phases – as part of the "ceasefire" deal he brokered in October to end Israel's genocidal war on Gaza, which has killed more than 73,000 Palestinians and devastated the Palestinian enclave."
"Israel has repeatedly violated the ceasefire, killing more than 1,200 Palestinians since it came into effect, seizing more territory, and continuing to restrict the movement of people and goods into and out of Gaza."
"Muhammad Shehada, a visiting fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, said Hamas relented as it was facing increasing resentment inside Gaza."
"Neither Israel nor the board has provided guarantees that Palestinians will be allowed to return and live in the reconstructed areas."
"Mladenov "is threatening the Palestinians with a return to war, acting on behalf of Netanyahu and his fascist government, rather than truly serving as an envoy for a board that purports to be the Board of Peace," the Hamas official added."
center
"Israeli officials remain deeply skeptical that Hamas will surrender its weapons, while comments from a senior Hamas official suggest the sequencing of disarmament and Israel's withdrawal could still be contested."
"A Board of Peace official said the agreement was designed around "zero trust" because Hamas and Israel each made clear from the outset that they did not trust the other side."
"However, an Israeli official then issued a statement saying that the Board of Peace's 15-point disarmament proposal did not meet Jerusalem's demands for Gaza's complete demilitarization. Accordingly, despite Trump's subsequent upbeat post, it was unclear how the agreement would be able to proceed."
"In Gaza, the announcement has been met with little public enthusiasm. Many Palestinians have grown deeply sceptical of political breakthroughs, with previous agreements having repeatedly broken down before delivering meaningful improvements on the ground."
"The Times reviewed internal Board of Peace documents and interviewed nine officials briefed on or involved in the talks for this article. All spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive information."
right
"Trump hailed the agreement as a "monumental step toward lasting PEACE and SECURITY" in the region."
""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 posted on Truth Social. "At the same time, Israel will have the security it deserves, with Gaza no longer used as a base for terror attacks.""
"The Board of Peace has reached an agreement for the "complete disarmament" of Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza, President Donald Trump announced on Thursday."
What each side left out
The right left out — covered by the Al Jazeera & The Guardian US & Times of Israel & Axios
- Palestinian death toll of 73,000+ since October 2023
- Israeli ceasefire violations and 1,000-1,200 Palestinians killed since October ceasefire
- Hamas's condition that disarmament follows Israeli withdrawal
- Israeli officials' rejection of the proposal as not meeting demands
The left left out — covered by the BBC News & Axios & The Jerusalem Post
- Details of the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack killing 1,200 Israelis and 251 hostages taken
- The 'zero trust' verification and reciprocity mechanics of the deal
- Iran's role pushing Hamas to reject the deal
The center left out — covered by the Al Jazeera & The Cradle
- Characterization of the war as 'genocide' (a UN commission finding cited by Al Jazeera/Cradle)
- Hamas official's accusation that Mladenov acts on behalf of a 'fascist' Netanyahu government
The right left out — covered by the Al Jazeera & Axios & FOX 25 KOKH
- The distinction between 'inventory and storage' versus actual 'disarmament' raised by military analysts
- The reciprocal/phased timeline (200-250 days) and Israel's non-signatory status
What's actually true?
[verified] Trump announced the Board of Peace reached an agreement for the 'complete disarmament' of Hamas and all other armed groups in Gaza.
[verified] Hamas agreed to the roadmap on condition that its disarmament would only occur after Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
[verified] An Israeli official said the proposal did not meet Jerusalem's demand for complete demilitarization as a precondition, and Israel conveyed objections.
[verified] The demilitarization process is expected to take between 200 and 250 days, proceeding one part of Gaza at a time.
[verified] More than 73,000 Palestinians (with figures citing 73,290 including 21,280 children) have been killed since the war began in October 2023.
[contested] Israeli forces have killed more than 1,000 (Al Jazeera says 1,200; BBC/Yahoo cite at least 1,168) Palestinians in Gaza since the October ceasefire took effect.
[verified] Hamas's Oct. 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel killed around 1,200 people and took 251 hostages.
[verified] The agreement was designed around a 'zero trust' principle with reciprocal, independently verified steps because neither Hamas nor Israel trusted the other.
The narrative clash
Whether the disarmament is unconditional or conditional on Israeli withdrawal
Left: "We will not take any action regarding disarmament prior to Israel's withdrawal from the strip," Ghazi Hamad, a member of the Hamas negotiating team, told Al Jazeera.
Right: The Board of Peace has reached an agreement for the "complete disarmament" of Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza, President Donald Trump announced on Thursday.
Whether Israel accepted the agreement
Left: There was no confirmation from the Israeli government by Friday afternoon that it accepted the agreement. The far-right national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, dismissed it as "unacceptable".
Right: Trump hailed the agreement as a "monumental step toward lasting PEACE and SECURITY" in the region.
19 sources analyzed
The Guardian US Al Jazeera The Damage Report Haaretz NPR Google Search The Cradle Axios BBC News The Times of Israel Associated Press The Jerusalem Post Reuters Yahoo! Search The Seattle Times FOX 25 KOKH The Hill Ground News Washington Examiner