The Donald Trump administration has submitted a written proposal to Hamas to disarm the group as part of a plan to resolve the situation in Gaza.
Points of attention
- The Trump administration has presented a written proposal to Hamas for the complete disarmament of all armed groups in Gaza, including a possible amnesty for militants giving up heavy weapons.
- The proposal aims to resolve the conflict in Gaza and includes conditions such as the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza and beginning reconstruction once Hamas lays down its arms.
US suggests Hamas in Gaza lay down arms as planned
Donald Trump's peace council has presented Hamas with a written proposal on how the group could lay down its arms, two sources said.
It's a step that Palestinian militants still refuse to take while the US president pushes forward with his plan for the future of Gaza.
The proposal was conveyed to Hamas during meetings in Cairo last week, one of the sources said. The talks involved Nikolai Mladenov and Aryeh Lightstone, two sources familiar with the matter said.
Mladenov is Trump's appointed envoy to the Gaza Peace Council. Lightstone is an assistant to Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff.
Trump's Gaza plan, agreed to by Israel and Hamas in October, calls for the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza and the beginning of reconstruction once Hamas lays down its arms.
Mladenov said a framework agreement was on the table, requiring the complete disarmament of all armed groups without exception, a key condition for launching the reconstruction of the devastated enclave.
US officials have also suggested that an amnesty could be offered to militants if they give up their heavy and small arms. However, sources say Hamas may reject the offer out of fear of attacks by other groups in Gaza.
Israel insists on the complete disarmament of Hamas and currently controls about half of the territory of the sector, while the group itself retains influence over the rest of the enclave and its population.
Amnesty and investment in Gaza reconstruction are being offered to encourage Hamas, Reuters sources said. However, it remains unclear whether there will be enough funding to implement these plans, as much of the promised funds have yet to arrive.
