Trump says deal reached to bring peace to Gaza, but support for plan is unclear

CAIRO/WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump said talks in Cairo between mediators and Hamas leaders on Thursday have led to a phased disarmament agreement in Gaza, but a Hamas official described the deal as a draft and U.S. officials said Israel was skeptical the militant Palestinian group would surrender its weapons.

A Hamas source told Reuters the "draft agreement" stipulates that heavy weapons would only be stored and kept under the control of a Palestinian administration, and the weapons cannot be transferred to Israel.

"We will not take any action regarding disarmament prior to Israel's withdrawal from the Strip," Ghazi Hamad, a member of the Hamas negotiating team, told Al Jazeera.

An Israeli official, who declined to be identified, said before Trump's announcement Israel had rejected a proposal.

Trump said in a Truth Social post that the Board of Peace had reached a "HISTORIC agreement for the COMPLETE DISARMAMENT of Hamas and all other armed groups in Gaza."

Trump said the deal would be carried out in "carefully structured phases," with Israeli forces withdrawing as disarmament proceeds and an International Stabilization Force working with a new Palestinian police force to secure the enclave.

He thanked mediators Egypt, Qatar and Turkey.

"This agreement is a critical step towards Gaza finally being governed by a new Palestinian government that will work closely with the Board of Peace to help the Palestinian people," Trump said.

"At the same time, Israel will have the security it deserves, with Gaza no longer used as a base for terror attacks," Trump added.