A new chapter in the Gaza war appears to be opening. President Donald Trump announced this week that the Board of Peace, the body overseeing the ceasefire process, has reached an agreement with Hamas to begin disarming — a milestone many analysts had doubted would arrive this soon. But the announcement, while historic, leaves the hardest questions about implementation still unanswered.
What Was Actually Announced
Trump told reporters an agreement had been reached for Hamas to begin disarming in Gaza, though he offered few specifics on timing or enforcement. A senior adviser later clarified that the disarmament process is expected to start within roughly a month, while the broader plan requires both Hamas and Israel to complete a long sequence of reciprocal, independently verified steps stretched out over an estimated seven to eight months.
The Board of Peace, which has emerged as the primary vehicle for managing the postwar transition, followed up by saying Hamas had agreed to a “detailed road map” covering both disarmament and an eventual Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
Hamas’s Response Adds a Major Condition
Hamas official Ghazi Hamad confirmed to Al Jazeera that difficult negotiations had produced an agreement in principle. Crucially, he added that Hamas would not take any concrete steps toward disarmament until Israel first withdraws its forces from the Gaza Strip — a sequencing dispute that has derailed previous rounds of talks and could easily do so again.
Israel, notably, has not yet publicly confirmed the terms of the deal, leaving a gap between the American framing of the announcement and the two parties who actually have to carry it out.
Why the Timeline Matters
The seven-to-eight-month window described by Trump’s adviser signals that this is not a quick fix but a phased, multi-stage process involving:
- Independent verification of each disarmament step
- Coordinated, reciprocal Israeli troop withdrawals
- Ongoing monitoring by the Board of Peace
Long timelines like this create multiple points where the agreement could stall, especially given that neither side has fully aligned on which comes first: disarmament or withdrawal.
What Happens Next
With Israel yet to confirm the plan publicly, the coming weeks will be a critical test of whether this “agreement” translates into an actual ceasefire mechanism or remains another diplomatic milestone that struggles to survive contact with reality on the ground. Expect statements from Israeli officials, further UN and regional reaction, and close scrutiny of whether the promised disarmament actually begins on schedule.
