Who will govern Gaza? Will Hamas disarm? The thorny and still unresolved issues of Trump’s peace plan

Israel celebrates the release of hostages by Hamas The release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, on Monday (13), marks a fundamental first step towards a lasting ceasefire between Israel and the terrorist group Hamas. But thornier issues, such as the disarmament of Hamas, the formation of a government in Gaza and the creation of a Palestinian state remain unresolved, putting the stability of the region in question in the near future. ✅ Follow the g1 international news channel on WhatsApp The agreement that made official the first phase of the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, suggested by Donald Trump, was signed by world leaders on Monday in a ceremony in Egypt – without the presence of representatives from both sides of the conflict. Called the “Gaza peace summit”, the meeting took place in the Egyptian city of Sharm El-Sheik. The signing took place hours after Hamas released the last 20 Israeli hostages still under its control in Gaza. For Israelis, the release of the remaining 20 living hostages brought euphoria and a sense of closure to a war that many felt forced into by Hamas, although many have vowed to continue fighting for the return of the dead hostages still in Gaza. Four dead hostages were returned to Israel on Monday, and another 24 are expected to be handed over as part of the first phase of the ceasefire, which also requires Israel to allow the shipment of food and other humanitarian aid shipments to Gaza, as well as the release of 1,968 Palestinian prisoners to the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. While there has been an outpouring of joy in Gaza for prisoners returning from Israel and hope that the fighting can end for good, the torment continues for war-weary Palestinians. Gaza was decimated by Israeli bombings; Little remains of its pre-war economy, basic services are in disarray and many homes have been destroyed. It remains unclear who will pay for the reconstruction, a process that could take years. Israeli couple kidnapped by Hamas reunite after two years apart New challenges From now on, Israel, Hamas, Trump and the international community will have thorny issues to discuss at the negotiation tables, such as the future government of Gaza, the involvement of the Palestinian Authority (which partially governs the West Bank) and the disarmament of the terrorist group. See below the main impasses still unresolved: Disarmament of Hamas The terrorist group Hamas refused for a long time to hand over its weapons, asserting that it has the right to armed resistance until the end of the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories. For Israel, however, disarmament is a fundamental demand. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly stated that his campaign will not end until Hamas’ military power is dismantled, including the network of tunnels built around the territory. There are indications, however, that Hamas could agree to “dismantle” its offensive weapons by handing them over to a joint Palestinian-Egyptian committee, according to Arab officials with direct knowledge of the negotiations, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. Palestinians, who were displaced to the southern part of Gaza by order of Israel during the war, follow a road as they return to the north, during a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, in the central region of the Gaza Strip, on October 11 Mahmoud Issa/Reuters Israeli troops retreat Hamas insisted on not releasing the last Israeli hostages alive unless troops Israelis to leave Gaza completely. After finally agreeing to release them first, Hamas says it is counting on Trump’s assurances that a full withdrawal will occur at some point in the future. How long this will take — weeks, months, years — no one knows. To date, the Israeli army has withdrawn from much of Gaza City, the southern city of Khan Younis and other areas. Troops remain in most of the southern city of Rafah, in towns in far northern Gaza and along Gaza’s border with Israel. The 20-point plan outlined by the Trump administration calls for Israel to maintain a narrow buffer zone inside Gaza along their shared border, and Israel has also talked about maintaining control of the Philadelphi corridor, a strip of land on Gaza’s border with Egypt. Israel is unlikely to relinquish these areas unless Hamas disarms and the void left in Gaza administration is filled by an Israeli-approved entity. Security forces Trump’s plan also calls for an Arab-led international security force to enter Gaza, along with Palestinian police forces trained by Egypt and Jordan. The plan calls for Israeli forces to leave areas as those forces are mobilized. It is not known whether this system will be followed or whether an alternative will be negotiated. Future Gaza government Israel has stated that it wants Gaza to be purged of Hamas influence. But he also rejected the possibility of assigning any controlling role to the Palestinian Authority, the political entity based in the West Bank, or any agreement that could lead to the creation of a Palestinian state. Trump’s plan foresees a possible role for Mahmoud Abbas’s Palestinian Authority, but requires the entity to undergo reforms. Hamas, which has governed Gaza since 2007, agreed to relinquish rule of the territory and hand over governance to a body of Palestinian technocrats. What will take its place is uncertain. Under Trump’s plan, an international body will be in charge of governing the region. He would hold most of the power while overseeing the administration of Palestinian technocrats who handle day-to-day affairs. It would also have the central role of managing reconstruction in Gaza. Trump’s initial 20-point plan calls for former British Prime Minister Tony Blair to lead the organization. Hamas argues that the government of Gaza should be defined among the Palestinians.

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