EditDeal to disarm Hamas opens path to new Palestinian administration
Bulgaria's Nickolay Mladenov, the Board of Peace's High Representative for Gaza, played a central role in securing the breakthrough
A U.S.-backed agreement to fully disarm Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza has been announced by President Donald Trump, marking what he described as a key milestone towards replacing militant control with a new Palestinian civilian administration, although the success of the plan will depend on its implementation.
Trump announced on Thursday that his newly established Board of Peace had reached an agreement for the complete disarmament of Hamas and all other armed groups operating in Gaza.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump described the accord as a “major milestone in the implementation of the Trump 20-Point Plan” aimed at ending Israel’s war in Gaza.
According to Trump, the agreement will be implemented in phases. Israeli forces will gradually withdraw as disarmament progresses, while an International Stabilisation Force will work alongside a newly established Palestinian police service to secure the territory.
The agreement caps months of political uncertainty surrounding Trump’s Board of Peace, an initiative that initially struggled to gain international backing and repeatedly came close to collapse during negotiations.
The proposal initially faced scepticism from both Israel and Hamas, while key regional actors questioned whether a credible post-war governance model for Gaza could be established without a broader political settlement.
Several rounds of negotiations stalled over sequencing, including whether Israeli forces should withdraw before Hamas surrendered its weapons, or whether disarmament should take place under international supervision.
Former Bulgarian foreign minister Nickolay Mladenov, serving as the Board of Peace’s High Representative for Gaza, also played a central role in securing the breakthrough.
“The Board of Peace has reached a historic agreement for the complete disarmament of Hamas and all other armed groups in the Gaza Strip,” Trump said.
He added that the deal would pave the way for a new Palestinian administration in Gaza, while ensuring that “Israel will have the security it deserves.” Trump thanked Egypt, Qatar and Turkey for their mediation efforts.
Resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?
The announcement was echoed by Mladenov. “What is written in the agreement is essential. But what comes next is even more important,” he posted in Facebook in Bulgarian.
“The key to success lies in implementation and verification. Withdrawal must proceed hand in hand with disarmament. The transitional administration and the Palestinian people need both political and practical support to take their future into their own hands.”
Mladenov acknowledged that the negotiations had come close to collapse on several occasions.
“There was more than one moment when I did not believe we would succeed,” he wrote.
He also thanked Trump for his leadership, as well as the United States, Egypt, Turkey, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates for helping keep the negotiations alive “when leaving the process seemed the easier option.”
Mladenov further praised the UN Security Council for consistently supporting the process and underlining the importance of fully implementing Resolution 2803.
He said the agreement offers the prospect of “a rebuilt Gaza governed by Palestinians, living in peace with Israel”, alongside a renewed political horizon for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The agreement was also confirmed by a Hamas representative. Speaking to AFP, Ghazi Hamad, a member of the movement’s negotiating team, said Hamas had made “concessions for the good of our people in the Gaza Strip, to save them from death and displacement”.
Israel has maintained military control over much of Gaza since launching its offensive in late 2023, following the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel that killed hundreds of Israelis and triggered the war.
The conflict has since caused widespread destruction across Gaza and prompted repeated international efforts to secure a ceasefire, the release of hostages and a framework for post-war governance.
The newly announced agreement seeks to link the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces with the verified disarmament of Hamas and the establishment of a Palestinian-led civilian administration backed by an international stabilisation mission.
Sources: Reuters, BTA
Caption: US President Donald Trump during the Board of Peace meeting at the Donald J. Trump U.S. Institute of Peace in Washington, USA, 19 February 2026. Established by Donald Trump and led by the government of the United States, the Board of Peace (BoP) is a body tasked with overseeing the processes of the Gaza peace plan. EPA/ALESSANDRO DI MEO
Updated: July 31, 2026 - 11:32
