Trump Governance Negotiates Ceasefire Deal with Hamas, Promises disarmament
CAIRO – Donald Trump announced that Hamas will have a limited security role during the initial phase of a peace deal with Israel, but insisted the militant group will ultimately be compelled to disarm. The declaration followed a ceasefire agreement and a direct meeting between senior Hamas leaders and U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
According to reports from Agence France-Presse, Hamas has begun targeting what it terms “Palestinian criminal gangs and clans” in Gaza following the ceasefire.trump, speaking aboard Air Force One, stated Hamas “want[s] to stop the problems” and received U.S. approval for a temporary security role. Though, he acknowledged this contradicts his previously outlined 20-point peace plan, which explicitly calls for Hamas to disarm and relinquish control of the Gaza Strip.
“Hamas are standing as they do want to stop the problems, and they’ve been open about it, and we gave them approval for a period of time,” Trump said.He also indicated the rebuilding of Gaza will be a complex undertaking requiring cooperation with local forces.
Trump declared phase two of his peace deal had “started,” while also noting its implementation would be staggered. He described the situation in Gaza as requiring “a lot of cleanup.”
The breakthrough came after a 45-minute meeting last week between Witkoff,kushner,and a Hamas delegation led by khalil al-Hayya,who recently survived an assassination attempt in Doha. This meeting,first reported by Axios,marked the first direct engagement between the White house and Hamas since march,when U.S. hostage envoy Adam Boehler met with hamas leaders in Doha to discuss the release of hostages, including U.S.-Israeli citizen Edan Alexander.
During the meeting, Witkoff reportedly conveyed that hostages were a “liability” for Hamas and urged a hostage exchange. He also assured Hamas leaders that Trump would uphold all 20 points of his peace plan and ensure their implementation.
According to Axios sources, intelligence chiefs from Egypt, Turkey, and Qatar informed Witkoff and Kushner they had secured a deal following private discussions with Hamas negotiators.
