Hamas agrees to deal for disarmament, Israel's withdrawal from Gaza

Gaza City (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) – Hamas said Friday it agreed to a deal to end the war with Israel that included provisions addressing its weapons and the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip.

The group’s disarmament has been one of the key sticking points in the advancement of a ceasefire deal that has been in place in Gaza since October.

US President Donald Trump announced late Thursday an agreement for the “complete disarmament” of Hamas, calling it a critical step toward a new Palestinian government in Gaza.

Hamas officials told AFP a committee established by Trump’s Board of Peace to govern Gaza would oversee the process of storing the Islamist movement’s weapons.

The group said it expected mediators and the Board of Peace to ensure Israel complied with the deal’s terms, which included Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza.

Ghazi Hamad, a member of the group’s negotiating team, said the movement was making “concessions for the sake of our people in the Gaza Strip, to save them from killing and displacement”.

“Israel will not intervene in the issue of disarmament. The National Committee is the body that will undertake this task,” he said, referring to the National Committee for Administration of Gaza (NCAG).

There was no immediate statement from Israel.

Despite the October ceasefire, violence has continued in Gaza, with Israeli strikes killing at least four people, including two children, on Thursday, according to health officials.

…