Trump-backed Hamas disarmament plan gives war-weary Gazans faint hope

Cairo,UPDATED: Aug 1, 2026 20:34 IST

Palestinians in Gaza say US President Donald Trump’s announcement that Hamas had agreed to disarm offers a small sign of hope that Israel’s attacks might end and they might be able to rebuild their lives. But the announcement has also jarred with conditions on the ground, where Israeli strikes have continued since Trump first spoke about the deal late on Thursday in Washington, and where there has been little progress on a wider ceasefire that took effect in October.

Most of Gaza’s 2 million Palestinians remain displaced or are living in tent camps. Poor conditions and overcrowding there have led to rodent infestations and outbreaks of infectious diseases such as chickenpox. “They can talk about withdrawal and disarmament,” said Abdel Moneim Aboul-Roos, a 24-year-old tuk-tuk driver who lost his leg in an Israeli airstrike. “I don’t care about any of it as long as there is no food or medicine.”

Israel and Hamas signed a US-backed ceasefire plan last year that ended major combat operations, saw the return of Israeli hostages and allowed more humanitarian aid into Gaza. It also called for a gradual withdrawal of Israeli troops, the creation of an international stabilisation force and a plan to dismantle Hamas’ weapons. But negotiations stalled as both sides accused each other of violating the ceasefire. Hamas kept its weapons and the Israeli military did not withdraw. Since October, Israel has killed more than 1,200 Palestinians in Gaza and expanded the territory it controls. Five Israeli soldiers have also been killed in militant attacks.

The road map announced by Trump and confirmed by Hamas gives more details on the weapons that Hamas and allied groups would have to hand over to a new technocratic government. The document says Israel would not be involved in dismantling Hamas’ weapons and that it should stop all military operations in Gaza so the transition can go ahead and recovery can begin. But many residents say they have heard repeated promises that the war would stop and life would improve, and they remain doubtful that either side will follow the terms.

“This is enough. We need improvement in our lives,” said Ayman Ahmed, a displaced Palestinian in southern Gaza. He said he hopes Hamas gives up its arms but does not think it will happen soon. “They don’t care about Palestinians’ lives,” he said. The war began when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 others hostage to Gaza. Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed more than 73,300 people, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which was part of the Hamas-run government. The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and militants, but says women and children make up around half of those killed.

Some Palestinians say the scale of the killings and the continuing attacks make them believe Israel will not make concessions. In southern Gaza, Ghazal Astal said there is near-constant Israeli gunfire and that the territory has become an “indescribable battlefield”. Ammar Kaskeen, 30, said he does not believe the road map will force Israeli troops to withdraw. He said that, in Israel’s view, the aim is not only to disarm Hamas but also to drive Palestinians out of Gaza. “They will make us suffer,” he said.

Israel has not commented publicly on the road map, but Israeli officials speaking anonymously over the past two days have indicated that it does not match the country’s interests. The officials also repeated that Israel would not withdraw from the Yellow Line in Gaza, which separates Israeli-controlled territory in the east from the western part of Gaza. In recent months, the military has built a large earthen barrier along roughly the same route and developed what it described as a “security zone” beside it, backed by intelligence and technological assets. Israel has also carried out controlled demolitions and clearing operations across much of the territory it controls.

Palestinians who lived in those areas have not been able to return and many do not know if their homes are still standing. Anas Nakla, who was displaced from Rafah in southern Gaza during the war, said he knows his house has been destroyed but still wants to go back with his wife and children. “It doesn’t exist anymore,” he said. “But we can return and rebuild.” Mohamed Hamad, who left his home in northern Gaza, said he hopes the US-backed road map will pressure Israel to leave some of the areas it controls. He said that even if only a small number of people could return, “it will give hope to the rest that some day they may also return.” Overall, Palestinians in Gaza say the proposed road map has offered a limited sense of hope, but continued fighting, displacement and deep mistrust of both sides have left many uncertain that it will change their lives soon.

With PTI Inputs

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