Israel demands Hamas disarmament by October 7 for Gaza truce deal phase two

Implementation of the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement faces a new challenge, as Israel is demanding that Hamas begin disarmament by October 7, according to Al Arabiya/Al Hadath sources, amid US pressure linked to the deal's execution.

The sources said US President Donald Trump’s remarks on Hamas disarmament came after polls in Israel showed opposition to withdrawal, while Israel is tying any withdrawal from Gaza to the complete disarmament of Hamas.

A "Peace Council" official said the political future of Hamas leaders in a new Palestinian government depends on disarmament, noting that council envoy Nickolay Mladenov informed Hamas that "nothing can be negotiated while weapons remain everywhere."

These pressures follow talks held by US envoy Jared Kushner with Hamas leaders in Egypt, before he traveled to Israel and met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who recently rejected the plan and is demanding Hamas fully disarm.

For its part, Hamas has reaffirmed its commitment to the US-backed Gaza agreement. Movement spokesman Hazem Qassem told AFP on Tuesday that "Hamas is committed to the agreed path," but added that Israel has yet to give "clear approval to mediators on the roadmap."

According to an Israeli official, both sides agreed with Kushner that an American officer would oversee the weapons handover process.

The "Peace Council," chaired by the US president and tasked with implementing the agreement, also informed Netanyahu that Israel is not required to begin withdrawing from Gaza before Hamas is fully disarmed.

These developments are part of the second phase of the ceasefire agreement in effect in Gaza since October 10, 2025, amid disputes over the sequencing of the deal’s provisions, particularly the link between Hamas disarmament and Israeli withdrawal.