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Hamas official says group will hand over weapons to new Gaza administration – Reuters
In further comments to Reuters, Ghazi Hamad said Hamas will hand over its weapons to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), a new body established by the Board of Peace to oversee day-to-day affairs in the Palestinian territory.
He said disarmament will be contingent on the withdrawal of Israeli troops, and that the NCAG and international force must enter Gaza and dismantle Israeli-backed militias.
Key events
Trump says US has ‘an understanding’ with Israel on deal – but doesn’t say if Hamas disarmament or IDF withdrawal comes first
Speaking to reporters at his cabinet meeting at Camp David, Donald Trump was asked if he has assurances from Israel that they are on board with the Hamas disarmament deal, and what comes first – the disarmament or the withdrawal of IDF troops from Gaza.
The US president replied:
We do have an understanding with Israel. Israel is very happy about it. They helped us and they’ve been very good about it.
Describing the agreement as “a great breakthrough”, Trump added that, “Nobody ever thought that would be possible, to disarm Hamas.”
It’s a big step for the Middle East and people are very impressed by it.
Crucially, Trump didn’t answer the other part of the question regarding which would come first – Israel withdrawing from Gaza or Hamas disarming – which remains a key point of contention.
Trump would be ‘very, very disappointed’ if Israel doesn’t comply with Gaza plan – report
We have yet to hear from Benjamin Netanyahu on Donald Trump’s announcement of the roadmap for implementing the Gaza ceasefire plan, but, as we’ve been reporting, rightwing members of his government have described it as “not acceptable”, while one Israeli official told AFP there would be no IDF withdrawal from the so-called Yellow Line unless Hamas undergoes “genuine disarmament”.
But last night, a US official said that Trump would be be “very, very disappointed” if Israel does not adhere to their end of the peace plan.
“We’re not asking Israel to do anything other than agree to the 20-point plan that they agreed to initially, and so we’re very confident they will adhere to it. If they don’t, obviously President Trump would be very, very disappointed,” the official told reporters, in comments reported by CNN.
“With all the different issues they have going on … this is not something I think [Israel wants] to escalate as an issue right now. So we believe that they’ll continue to be a good partner in this and comply,” they added.
The UK foreign secretary, Ed Miliband, has welcomed the announcement that Hamas will disarm.
“The focus must now be to implement the 20-Point Plan in full,” he said in a post on X, including “the withdrawal of the IDF from Gaza and respect for the ceasefire by all parties”.
Miliband stressed that conditions for people in Gaza “remain appalling” and said Israel “must immediately end the unacceptable restrictions on aid so that more food, medicine and support can reach those who need it.”
“We must reach a viable peace – with the Palestinian State and the State of Israel living securely side by side,” he said.
EU welcomes Gaza plan but says ‘a lot needs to fall in place’ for it to work
The EU’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has said in a post on X that , “if fully implemented”, the plan to disarm Hamas would be a “constructive step towards peace”.
“A lot needs to fall in place for this to work. Success depends on the full commitment of all parties,” she caveated, adding: “Verifying Hamas’ compliance will be a significant challenge. Israel would need to eventually withdraw from Gaza.”
The EU stands “ready to support the next steps, including the entry of the National Committee and the International Stabilisation Force”, she said.
Israel will not leave Gaza until Hamas’s ‘genuine’ disarmament – source
Israel will not withdraw from the Gaza Strip until Hamas’s “genuine disarmament”, a political source told AFP on Friday after the group said it had agreed to a deal involving its disarmament and Israel’s exit.
“Israel has reiterated that there will be no withdrawal whatsoever of the IDF from the current Yellow Line unless Hamas undergoes a genuine disarmament,” the Israeli source said, referring to a demarcation between the area under Hamas control and that held by the Israeli army.
William Christou
Iran said it struck two tankers trying to pass through the strait of Hormuz under the escort of the US military, as Donald Trump gathered his cabinet at to discuss the stalling war and rising prices as midterm election in the US loom.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said they had hit two tankers trying to pass through the strait on Friday.
The IRGC said the “non-compliant oil tankers … were struck and brought to a halt, while four other oil tankers quickly changed course and returned to their previous positions”. The military body said the ships had tried to pass through the waterway via an “undeclared route” and under US aerial escort.
Iran and the US have said ships should pass through the strait via two competing routes, with Iran bombing ships that take the southern route, close to the coast of Oman, and the US bombing ships that violate its blockade of Iranian ships and ports.
The strait has been almost completely closed to traffic since Iran and the US returned to fighting two weeks ago, sending energy prices soaring. On Thursday, the price of crude oil pushed past $90 a barrel when the US struck Iran in retaliation for its targeting of US bases in Jordan.
Israeli minister says peace plan ‘not acceptable’
Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel’s minister of national security, has rejected the draft agreement, describing the plan as “not acceptable” to Israel.
In a post on X, Ben-Gvir said:
After the October 7 massacre, the blood of every Hamas man is forfeit-and therefore, a commitment to cease the eliminations of the terrorist organisation’s murderers is tantamount to consenting for Hamas to regroup toward the next massacre. The targeted killings in Gaza must continue, encouraging emigration must happen, Israel must win.
The far-right minister, who is the first Israeli official to publicly comment on the deal, is known for making controversial remarks on Gaza and has regularly been at loggerheads with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Here’s a video of the Guardian’s Jerusalem correspondent Emma Graham-Harrison explaining Ben-Gvir’s role in a protest demanding the re-establishment of three illegal settlements in the northern part of Gaza earlier this month:
Israeli strike in Gaza kills at least one person, local health officials say
Just moments after Hamas issued a statement demanding Israeli troops stopping killing Palestinians (see post at 13:23), Reuters reported at least one person was killed in an Israeli airstrike in central Gaza.
Tom Ambrose
US president Donald Trump will convene a cabinet meeting later today at his Camp David retreat as he grapples with how to resolve his war against Iran.
He will also be keen to find a way to bring down gasoline prices as the Republicans head into the November midterm elections.
This will be only his third trip to Camp David during his second term, with Trump largely having stayed away from the mountaintop presidential retreat in western Maryland.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters at a briefing last week that this would be the 13th Cabinet meeting of Trump’s second term and that it would be “a lot of fun and something different for the cabinet to experience together”.
For the latest news on US politics, follow our live blog here:
Trump’s Board of Peace publishes roadmap for implementing Gaza ceasefire plan
Donald Trump’s Board of Peace has issued a statement on X with more details on its roadmap for implementing the Gaza ceasefire plan. Here are the main points:
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All parties reaffirm their commitment to end the violence in Gaza, secure the “complete” withdrawal of Israeli troops and allow “a credible political path that achieves self-determination and statehood” for Palestinians.
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Both Israel and Hamas will, “without delay”, end all military operations in Gaza. Once this is done and a timetable is set, the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG) will enter the Strip and assume responsibility for its governance.
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Progression from one phase to the following one is contingent upon the completion of all previous phases.
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Hamas and other Palestinian factions have agreed that all civilian governance and security will be handed over to NCAG. They have also agreed that NCAG will “enjoy full independence in carrying out its responsibilities” without interference from Palestinian factions.
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Upon fulling assuming power in Gaza, NCAG will ensure the continuation of civilian institutions and public services.
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Gaza will be governed according to the principle of: “One Authority, One Law, One Weapon”.
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All police personnel will undergo comprehensive vetting, and those who do not meet required standards will be offered alternative civilian roles or retirement. New police personnel will be incorporated into the existing police force.
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Authorities will begin decommissioning heavy weapons, military production sites, depots of weapons and tunnels.
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A temporary International Stabilisation Force (ISF) will be deployed to separate Israeli forces from NCAG-controlled areas. The ISF will also be responsible for monitoring ceasefire compliance, training the Palestinian police, and delivering humanitarian support and supplies into Gaza.
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Israeli forces will complete their phased withdrawal from Gaza Strip. The peace plan includes a commitment from Israel not to force anyone to leave the Strip.
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NCAG will be responsible for handling internal security incidents.
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The reconstruction of Gaza will be supervised by the Board of Peace and NCAG “in accordance with relevant laws and international standards”.
