U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday that Hamas appears prepared to give up its weapons under the next phase of the Gaza cease-fire, signaling movement in negotiations aimed at stabilizing the fragile truce.
"A lot of people said they'll never disarm. It looks like they're going to disarm,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting, following a briefing from his special envoy Steve Witkoff on continuing talks between the Palestinian group and Israel.
Washington has been pushing to secure commitments for the cease-fire’s second phase, which includes steps on governance, security arrangements and humanitarian access. U.S. officials say disarmament is a central component of efforts to prevent renewed escalation and allow reconstruction efforts in the devastated enclave.