Hamas Claims it Will Disarm Under Emerging Gaza Agreement

The transfer of weapons would begin within weeks, with the arms stored under the supervision of a multinational force.

By United with Israel Staff

Under mounting military and diplomatic pressure, Hamas is reportedly weighing a dramatic reversal of its longstanding position, with Israeli and Arab media reporting Thursday that the terrorist group could agree to disarm and relinquish control of Gaza as part of a ceasefire framework.

According to regional reports, Hamas has agreed in principle to transfer its weapons to a third party and relinquish control of Gaza’s civilian administration as part of an Egyptian-mediated framework. Israeli officials also acknowledged that negotiations are moving in a positive direction, though no final agreement has been announced.

Palestinian and regional sources told Israeli media that discussions in Cairo have focused on resolving the key issues delaying the next phase of the ceasefire, including Hamas’s weapons, governance of Gaza, and the future of the enclave’s civilian institutions.

Two regional sources told Israel’s Channel 13 that Hamas is holding advanced talks on declaring its disarmament and relinquishing control of Gaza to an international stabilization force. The sources said the terrorist group is prepared to hand over its weapons to a third party rather than the Palestinian Authority, with a formal announcement and signing ceremony in Egypt reportedly under discussion.

Adding to the reports, the Board of Peace, which is involved in the negotiations, said Thursday that talks with mediators in Cairo were continuing to make progress and outlined what it described as the roadmap for implementing the agreement.

According to the statement, the plan calls for the dismantling of all heavy and light weapons without exception, as well as the destruction of Hamas’s tunnels, weapons depots, and weapons production facilities.

The statement added that by the end of the process, Hamas would have no governing role in Gaza, “neither openly nor behind the scenes,” with full authority transferred to a Gaza administrative committee under the principle of “one authority, one law, and one weapon.” It said implementation would proceed in stages, with each step taken by one side enabling the next step by the other.

Israeli media reported that the framework also requires Hamas to end all military activity, including rearming and recruiting new operatives. In return, Israel would halt targeted killings except against imminent threats. The transfer of weapons would reportedly begin within weeks, with the arms stored under the supervision of a multinational force.

The reported framework would encompass Hamas’s entire military infrastructure, including light and heavy weapons, tunnels, weapons depots, and manufacturing sites. Israeli officials have also maintained that there will be no withdrawal from Israel’s designated security line in Gaza without complete disarmament.

Despite the reported progress, officials cautioned that several issues remain unresolved, including Israel’s future freedom of military action in Gaza and the authority of the proposed international stabilization force.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir strongly criticized the reported negotiations, warning against what he described as concessions to Hamas.

“With Nazis, we speak only through force—not through any other means,” Ben-Gvir wrote on X. “With the Satan that slaughtered our people, we do not negotiate to release terrorists, we do not sign agreements, and we certainly do not negotiate over disarming one way or another. Period.”

Ben-Gvir added that after the October 7 massacre, “the prime minister must understand that our only solution is to encourage emigration and completely destroy Hamas. That’s the only solution.”

No official agreement had been announced by either Israel or Hamas as of Thursday afternoon.