ONE BIG THINGHamas agrees to disarm if Israel withdraws from Gaza
Hamas has told the BBC that it has agreed to disarm itself as part of President Trump’s peace plan for Gaza. The agreement is dependent on Israel withdrawing from Gaza. Israel has declined comment so far—raising a huge question about whether a lasting peace can be achieved.
Trump was exultant on his social media platform last night: “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. At the same time, Israel will have the security it deserves, with Gaza no longer used as a base for terror attacks,” he said.
“This is a major milestone in the implementation of the Trump 20-Point Plan. The agreement will be carried out in carefully structured 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.”
The two sides are at the beginning of what will be a long and complicated process. The most immediate issue is, will Hamas agree to disarm before Israel withdraws or must Israel withdraw first and hope that Hamas sticks to its word?
