Hamas Agrees to Disarm in Deal Announced by Trump

On Friday, Hamas announced it had reached an agreement to disarm, a move that could potentially end the war in Gaza but faces significant hurdles. The agreement, announced by US President Donald Trump hours earlier, is contingent on Israel making major concessions, including ending hostilities and withdrawing troops from the Palestinian territory. A Hamas official and a regional official told the Associated Press that the group agreed to a road map, with senior Hamas official Bassem Naim confirming the deal in a post on X. Israel has not commented on the agreement. This development comes nine months after a US-brokered ceasefire, which included a 20-point plan calling for Hamas to surrender its weapons and destroy its tunnel network. The disarmament of the militant group would be a significant change, but the process could take a long time and may not be fully realized. The announcement follows a period of heightened tensions, with Israeli right-wing activists gathering at the Gaza border on July 19 demanding the re-establishment of settlements.