US President Donald Trump announced on July 31, 2026, that a deal has been reached with Hamas for the Palestinian militant group to disarm in exchange for Israeli withdrawal of forces from Gaza. A senior Hamas official confirmed to AFP that "an agreement has been reached," though Israel has yet to respond to the announcement.

Martin Kear, a Middle East politics analyst at the University of Sydney, described the announcement as a "huge surprise" and said that complete disarmament of Hamas would be a "huge moment in Palestinian history." However, he expressed skepticism about the deal's durability, noting that Hamas's disarmament has historically been contingent on Israel ending its occupation of the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem — a condition he described as unlikely to be met.

Dr. Kear also suggested that President Trump's announcement on social media might be a strategic move to apply pressure on both Hamas and Israel. Ghazi Hamad, a member of Hamas's negotiating team, stated that Hamas was making "concessions for the sake of our people in the Gaza Strip, to save them from killing and displacement." He linked the issue of weapons to Israel's withdrawal, the deployment of the National Committee, and reconstruction efforts in Gaza.

Despite the announcement, uncertainty remains over whether the agreement will hold, as Israel has not yet issued a response.

Sources