President Donald Trump on Thursday announced what he described as a historic agreement to secure the disarmament of Hamas and all other armed groups in Gaza.
As of early Thursday evening, Hamas had not confirmed the deal. CNN has reached out for comment.
“Today, the Board of Peace reached a HISTORIC agreement for the COMPLETE DISARMAMENT of Hamas and all other armed groups in Gaza,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. “This is a monumental step toward lasting PEACE and SECURITY.”
Disarming Hamas is a critical step in implementing Trump’s multi-phase peace plan to end the war in Gaza and moving to set up a technocratic government for the strip. Mediators have been trying to negotiate with Hamas for months on implanting the plan, but there is skepticism in the region that Hamas will hold up its end of the bargain.
Earlier this month, Hamas announced that it would dissolve its government in Gaza, a move that experts say put pressure on Israel as progress from the US-brokered ceasefire plan stalled. Their statement on the move made no mention of disarmament.
CNN has reached out to the Israeli prime minister’s office for comment.
Trump said the agreement would pave the way for Gaza to be governed by “a new Palestinian government” working alongside his Board of Peace, while ensuring “Israel will have the security it deserves, with Gaza no longer used as a base for terror attacks.”
Trump asserted that the agreement would be implemented in phases. As armed groups are disarmed, he wrote, Israeli forces will withdraw and an International Stabilization Force, working alongside a new Palestinian police force, will assume responsibility for security in Gaza.
The president thanked mediators from Egypt, Qatar and Turkey, as well as his administration, for helping broker the agreement.
“The threat that emerged from Gaza on October 7 will NOT be allowed to rebuild!” Trump wrote, adding, “Under this agreement, Gaza will finally be in the hands of a new Palestinian government that serves its PEOPLE.”
“CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL ON THIS AMAZING DEVELOPMENT, THAT EVERYBODY SAID COULD NEVER BE ACHIEVED!” Trump concluded.
CNN’s Kevin Liptak and Mohammed Tawfeeq contributed to this report.
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