Trump unveils Gaza peace roadmap

Washington: US President Donald Trump on Thursday (local time) announced what he described as a historic breakthrough towards ending the conflict in Gaza, unveiling a phased roadmap that calls for the complete disarmament of Hamas and other armed groups, the transfer of governance to a new Palestinian transitional authority and the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces under an internationally monitored process.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the Board of Peace had reached a “HISTORIC agreement for the COMPLETE DISARMAMENT of Hamas and all other armed groups in Gaza.”

“This is a monumental step toward lasting PEACE and SECURITY,” he wrote.

Trump said the agreement marked “a major milestone in the implementation of the Trump 20-Point Plan” and would be carried out in “carefully structured phases.” He added that as disarmament is completed, Israeli forces would withdraw while an International Stabilization Force would work with a new Palestinian police force to help secure Gaza.

According to a draft roadmap released, implementation would begin within 14 days after all parties approve the agreement. The document requires a complete cessation of military operations and the fulfilment of all obligations under the ceasefire protocol before any subsequent phase can begin.

Senior administration officials told reporters during a background briefing that the roadmap had been negotiated over the past eight months and was designed to address the longstanding lack of trust between Israel and Hamas through a phased process based on verification rather than political assurances.

All civilian and security responsibilities in Gaza would be transferred to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza during a transitional period, officials said adding that the committee would continue operating public institutions and essential services while conducting a comprehensive audit of Gaza’s financial and administrative affairs.

The roadmap adopts the principle of “One Authority, One Law, One Weapon”, making the National Committee the sole authority responsible for regulating weapons, issuing licences and enforcing the law across the territory.

The document also calls for the dismantling and storage of heavy weapons, tunnels and military production sites under the supervision of the National Committee and an international monitoring mechanism. Militias operating in Gaza would also be dismantled under an agreed timetable.

The roadmap specifies that no surrendered weapons would be transferred to Israel or to any other Palestinian faction during the disarmament process, officials said noting that instead, all weapons collected would remain under the authority of the transitional administration.

Senior administration officials said an independent Implementation and Verification Committee would oversee every stage of the process. Progress from one phase to the next would occur only after the committee confirmed that all commitments under the previous phase had been fulfilled. They described the approach as one built on “zero trust” between the parties, with every obligation requiring independent verification.

The proposal also includes a civil peace agreement aimed at ending internal violence in Gaza. It would prohibit acts of revenge, armed demonstrations and military parades during the transition while placing responsibility for internal security with the National Committee and its police force.

An International Stabilization Force would be deployed to monitor the ceasefire, help secure humanitarian assistance, support police training and assist in supervising the disarmament process. Israeli forces would withdraw gradually according to an agreed timetable linked to verified implementation of the roadmap’s security provisions.

Reconstruction of Gaza would proceed under international supervision according to a phased timetable prepared jointly by the Board of Peace and the National Committee.

In his Truth Social post, Trump thanked Egypt, Qatar and Türkiye for their mediation efforts and praised his negotiating team.

“The threat that emerged from Gaza on October 7 will NOT be allowed to rebuild!” he wrote.

“Under this agreement, Gaza will finally be in the hands of a new Palestinian government that serves its PEOPLE.”

–IANS