On Friday, July 31, 2026, a senior Hamas official told Reuters that the implementation of the peace deal for Gaza, announced by US President Donald Trump, hinges on Israel first meeting its commitments under an agreement reached last year.

Trump announced on Thursday via his Truth Social platform a "major milestone" towards ending the war in Gaza, claiming his "Board of Peace" had reached an agreement for the complete disarmament of Hamas and other armed groups.

However, Israel maintains a firm stance. An Israeli official stated that "there will be no withdrawal whatsoever of the IDF from the current Yellow Line unless Hamas undergoes a genuine disarmament," referring to the military demarcation line agreed upon in the ceasefire.

While Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, leader of the far-right Jewish Power party, criticized the draft agreement as unacceptable and insisted that Israel's policy of assassinating Hamas leaders must continue.

On the ground in Gaza, residents remain skeptical. Samir Ayad, 60, expressed the local sentiment: "Ceasefire, stop the assassinations and complete the Israeli army's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip."

The peace document outlines steps for the Palestinian National Committee for Administrative Governance (NCAG) to assume civil governance in Gaza and oversee the decommissioning and storage of heavy weapons, military production sites, depots of weapons, and tunnels.

Despite the announcement, months of faltering efforts to maintain the ceasefire agreement reached last year in Sharm el-Sheikh have left the situation fragile, with uncertainty about the commitment levels from both Hamas and Israel.

Meanwhile, Palestinians continue to salvage belongings from rubble caused by recent Israeli airstrikes in Gaza City, highlighting ongoing hardships.

Sources