Donald Trump casts doubt on Hamas disarmament after Gaza ceasefire

President Trump (Image: Getty)

Donald Trump has sidestepped questions regarding whether Hamas will disarm and if Israel will cease its bombing campaign in Gaza, casting doubt over the president's peace proposal.

On Wednesday, Trump announced that Israel and Hamas had agreed to the initial phase of his 20-point peace plan to conclude the two-year war. Both parties agreed to a temporary halt in fighting in Gaza to allow for the release of remaining hostages in the coming days in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.

However, there remains uncertainty surrounding some of the more contentious aspects of the proposal, including the question of whether Hamas will disarm, something it has previously refused to do. The news emerges as Dr Shola slammed for 'vile' Israel Nazi comparison despite Trump peace plan.

Addressing the media at the White House on Thursday, Trump evaded when asked to provide clarity about whether the militant group would disarm.

"What guarantees Hamas disarms and that Israel doesn't resume bombing?" a reporter queried Trump, reports the Express US.

"The first thing we're doing is getting our hostages back. That's what people wanted more than anything else. They wanted these hostages back that have lived in hell like nobody has ever dreamt possible. After that we'll see but they've agreed to things and I think it's going to move along pretty well," Trump responded.

Hamas has called on Trump to guarantee that Israel carries out "without disavowal or delay" an agreement that it claims would necessitate the pullback of Israeli forces from Gaza, the delivery of humanitarian supplies into the region and the swap of detainees for captives.

A senior Hamas representative confirmed the terror organisation submitted a register of Palestinian detainees set to be freed under the arrangement.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced he would召 his Cabinet and Israel's parliament on Thursday to ratify the agreement.

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Iran-backed Hamas plans to free all 20 surviving captives within days, whilst the Israeli military will commence a pullback from most of Gaza, and the release of thousands of Palestinian prisoners, many of which are Hamas members and some perpetuators of the Oct 7th massacre which killed 1,200 Israelis and sparked the current conflict, The Associated Press reported.

According to Trump's proposal unveiled last month, he would oversee a "Board of Peace" to manage the reconstruction of Gaza once hostilities cease.

The interim governing body would also feature former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Over 67,000 Palestinians have lost their lives in Gaza and almost 170,000 have been injured since hostilities commenced in October 2023, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which is run by Hamas and does not differentiate between militants and civilians.

Over 300,000 individuals have escaped the city in recent weeks as Israel instructed the population to relocate south.