Arabic version: إسرائيل تربط الانسحاب من غزة بنزع سلاح حماس

According to BBC News, a senior Israeli official has said Israeli troops will not withdraw from their current positions in Gaza without the “genuine disarmament” of Hamas. Hamas said any handover of its heavy weapons depended on Israel ending “all forms of aggression” and withdrawing its forces from Gaza.

The positions follow Donald Trump’s statement that the Board of Peace had reached an agreement for the “complete disarmament” of Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza. Speaking at a cabinet meeting at Camp David on Friday, Trump said he had an “understanding” with Israel over the proposal and that Israel was “very happy about it”. He said Hamas weapons would be handed to the Board of Peace, but did not directly answer whether disarmament or an Israeli withdrawal would come first.

The proposal forms part of the second phase of a US-brokered Gaza ceasefire plan intended to end the war. The 20-point plan, unveiled in September last year, included a Board of Peace to oversee implementation, Hamas disarmament, an Israeli troop withdrawal and Gaza’s reconstruction. On Friday, the Board published a roadmap reaffirming phased Hamas disarmament, a gradual Israeli withdrawal and deployment of an international stabilisation force.

Israel’s stated position concerns the Yellow Line, the demarcation point in Gaza to which it agreed to withdraw forces under last year’s ceasefire. The arrangement was meant to leave Israel temporarily controlling the area behind the line, equating to 53% of Gaza, although Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently said the Israel Defense Forces controlled more than 60%. Netanyahu has not commented on the latest proposal, while National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir called the draft “not acceptable”.

Hamas said ending Israel’s attack on Gaza was a “fundamental prerequisite” for progress, alongside a guaranteed right to self-determination and an independent Palestinian state. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called the proposal “the only good news in recent days”. UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said the focus must be on implementing the full plan, including an IDF withdrawal and ceasefire compliance by all parties.