US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that it “looks like” Hamas would give up its weapons, a step the group has not confirmed, in what would be a major step forward in the fragile Gaza ceasefire with Israel.
“A lot of people said they’ll never disarm. It looks like they’re going to disarm,” Trump told a cabinet meeting.
Trump hailed cooperation with Hamas after Israeli forces brought back the remains of the last captive held in Gaza, Ran Gvili.
“They did help us with those bodies, getting them back, and that family is so grateful,” Trump said.
Trump had asked for an update on the Middle East from his roving special envoy Steve Witkoff, sitting in the side of the room as cabinet members and media listened.
An upbeat Witkoff voiced high confidence in Hamas following through.
“We’ve got the terrorists out of there and they’re going to demilitarise. They will because they have no choice,” Witkoff said.
“They’re going to give it up. They’re going to give up the AK-47s,” he told Trump.
Hamas has said that the return of Gvili’s body showed its commitment to the ceasefire, but it has so far not surrendered its weapons.
The group has repeatedly said disarmament is a red line, but it has also suggested it would be open to handing over its weapons to a Palestinian governing authority.
Disarmament is a key part of the second phase of the ceasefire plan sealed in October.
A Palestinian technocratic committee has also been set up to take over governance in the battered Gaza Strip.
