Gaza Palestinians Back Hamas Disarmament but Doubt Israeli Withdrawal for 2 Million
Updated
Updated · The Associated Press · Aug 1
Gaza Palestinians Back Hamas Disarmament but Doubt Israeli Withdrawal for 2 Million
3 articles · Updated · The Associated Press · Aug 1
Summary
2 million Palestinians in Gaza greeted the new U.S.-backed disarmament roadmap with cautious hope, saying Hamas giving up weapons could help end attacks and start rebuilding.
Israeli strikes have continued and broader ceasefire steps remain stalled, reinforcing fears that Israel will not pull back even if Hamas disarms.
The roadmap says Hamas and allied factions would hand weapons to a new technocratic government, while Israel would halt military operations and stay out of the decommissioning process.
Israeli officials have signaled the plan clashes with Israel's interests and said troops will not leave the Yellow Line, where the military has built a large barrier and expanded control.
More than 73,300 people have been killed in Gaza since the war began, and many displaced residents say any real withdrawal would be the first sign they might return and rebuild.
Will Hamas truly surrender all weapons to a US-led force, or is the Cairo peace plan destined to collapse over light arms?
Could a Northern Ireland-style phased disarmament save Gaza's fragile ceasefire before rigid demands completely derail critical reconstruction efforts?
Gaza at a Crossroads: The July 2026 Cairo Deadlock, Disarmament Sequencing, and the Escalating Risk of Regional Collapse
Overview
The July 2026 Cairo peace talks on Gaza have reached a critical deadlock, with Hamas refusing to disarm before broader Palestinian discussions and Israel demanding full decommissioning of armed groups as a precondition for progress. This standoff has left the technocratic NCAG panel stuck outside Gaza, while Hamas continues to run daily operations. Reconstruction is frozen, as international aid is withheld until disarmament is resolved. Meanwhile, Israel has expanded its control over most of Gaza, driven by domestic political pressures. If the peace roadmap collapses, it could undermine regional diplomacy and push Arab states back toward militarized policies, deepening instability across the Middle East.