World reacts with cautious optimism to Hamas disarmament agreement – St. Vincent Tribune – Daily St Vincent

Introduction to the Gaza Peace Agreement

The Palestinian group Hamas has announced a deal aimed at fully ending Israel’s war on Gaza, which has inflicted death and destruction on the enclave for nearly three years. This agreement, confirmed by the United States and other mediators, requires Hamas to disarm and surrender its weapons in stages, while Israel would withdraw its forces.

Key Terms of the Agreement

The agreement was announced late on Thursday by President Donald Trump, after the US-led Board of Peace and International Stabilization Force for Gaza announced that mediators from Egypt, Qatar, Turkiye, and the US had finalized a roadmap for moving on to the next phase of the ceasefire. A truce deal was struck last October, but it failed to halt the hostilities, albeit the violence has been scaled back. Trump heralded the deal as “a historic agreement for the complete disarmament of Hamas and all other armed groups in Gaza” and “a monumental step toward lasting peace and security”.

Reactions from Key Players

United States

Trump framed the agreement as the turning point of his 20-point plan introduced last year, writing on Truth Social that it was “a critical step towards Gaza finally being governed by a new Palestinian government that will work closely with the Board of Peace”. He declared that Israel will have the security it deserves, with Gaza no longer used as a base for terror attacks.

Israel

The Israeli government had made no official response by Friday evening. However, Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir rejected the draft as “unacceptable to Israel,” and labeled the required commitment “to stop the assassinations” of Hamas members as “tantamount to agreeing to Hamas organizing for the next massacre”. Former army chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot, a leading contender to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said the draft peace plan shows the “outrageous gap” between what the premier promised and reality.

Hamas

Hamas has insisted that disarmament will depend on Israel ending hostilities and pulling back from Gaza. The group stated that the entry of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, the deployment of an international stabilization force, and the disbanding of Israeli-backed militias were all necessary conditions. Negotiator Ghazi Hamad told Al Jazeera the deal was a “comprehensive package” rather than a straightforward weapons handover.

International Reactions

Palestinian Islamic Jihad

The framework has not been uniformly accepted among Palestinian armed factions. Palestinian Islamic Jihad said reports of an agreement between the factions and Israel were “inaccurate,” and that the movement had “reservations about it in its currently circulated form”.

National Committee for the Administration of Gaza

The technocratic body slated to govern Gaza following the end of the conflict welcomed the roadmap and declared its “full readiness” to assume governance of the enclave and restore essential services.

Board of Peace

Nickolay Mladenov, director general of the Trump-backed Board of Peace, acknowledged how close the talks had come to collapse over recent months. He insisted the implementation and verification mechanisms must be “real and effective”, and reiterated that the Israeli withdrawal must proceed in parallel with the dismantling of weapons.

Egypt, Qatar, and Turkiye

The three mediating states, alongside the US, brokered the framework amid intensive shuttle diplomacy. Egypt, which hosted the Cairo talks at which the deal was sealed, is preparing to convene further meetings with US, Qatari, and Turkish representatives to lock in second-phase commitments.

European Union

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called the plan, “if fully implemented”, a “constructive step towards peace”. But she cautioned that success was far from assured: “A lot needs to fall in place for this to work,” she wrote, saying it depended on the parties’ full implementation of their commitments.

United Kingdom

British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said the focus must now be to “implement the 20-Point Plan in full”, which he stressed “includes the withdrawal of the [Israeli army] from Gaza and respect for the ceasefire by all parties”. He noted that conditions for people in Gaza remained appalling, and pressed Israel to “immediately end the unacceptable restrictions on aid so that more food, medicine, and support can reach those who need it”.

Germany

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul welcomed the roadmap, while insisting Hamas “must never again pose a threat to Israel”. He praised “Israel’s steps to enable deployment of [the International Stabilization Force]”, argued that “additional crossings into Gaza should be opened without delay”.

Belgium

Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot welcomed the draft as a potential step towards ending the conflict and “towards lasting peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians alike”. Writing on X, Prevot said it “must open the way to greater humanitarian access, the return of Palestinian governance in Gaza, and renewed momentum towards a negotiated two-state solution. Diplomacy deserves a real chance.” Source: WorldNewsAPI | Read original