Rushdi Abualouf: If Hamas disarmament plan holds, it could mark first credible step to ending Gaza war

After months of marathon talks, Hamas has, for the first time, accepted a framework of the Board of Peace’s plan to completely disarm in Gaza.

The plan provides for the inventorying and storage of its remaining heavy weapons under Palestinian supervision, potentially removing the most significant obstacle to advancing the Trump-backed peace initiative for Gaza.

The move comes soon after Hamas concluded leadership elections that brought Gaza-based leader Khalil al-Hayya to the head of the movement.

Palestinian officials involved in the talks believe the new leadership was prepared to take what they describe as the most consequential political decision in Hamas’s history, driven by the devastating humanitarian conditions facing more than two million Palestinians in Gaza.

A senior Hamas official and member of the movement’s negotiating team told the BBC that the talks were “long and extremely difficult”, with Hamas insisting on the wording “inventorying and storing weapons” under Palestinian oversight rather than handing them over to Israel.

It remains too early to judge whether the agreement will be fully implemented or whether all parties will honour their commitments.

But if it holds, it could mark the first credible step towards ending a war that has lasted for nearly three years and opening the way for a broader political process.

In Gaza, however, the announcement was met with little public enthusiasm.

After years of failed ceasefires and collapsed agreements, many Palestinians have grown deeply sceptical of new political breakthroughs.

Some residents shared their views online, saying they are less interested in the details of negotiations than in whether this deal will actually end the war, allow displaced families to return home and bring lasting relief.

For many, confidence in both Hamas and Israel remains low, with previous agreements having repeatedly broken down before delivering meaningful improvements on the ground.