US-led peace board sets Israeli Gaza pullout as condition for Hamas disarmament

BAGHDAD, Iraq — A US-chaired peace council has asked Israel to withdraw some forces from Gaza if Hamas begins disarming, according to people familiar with the matter. The board is demanding that Hamas hand over its weapons, dismantle its military infrastructure, allow the deployment of international stabilization forces in Gaza and cooperate in reconstruction efforts. The council was established as part of the 20-point plan announced by US President Donald Trump in September 2025. Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law, met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Hamas representatives in Egypt on August 16 to press the group to honor its disarmament commitments. The talks also addressed transferring governance of Gaza to a technocratic government and ensuring Hamas plays no role in any future administration. Israel and Hamas reached a three-phase ceasefire deal in October 2025 under mediation from Egypt, Qatar, the United States and Turkey. The first phase covered a halt in fighting, a hostage-prisoner exchange and a partial Israeli withdrawal. The parties have not moved to the second and third phases, which call for ending the war entirely and launching reconstruction. The status of negotiations on the remaining phases was not immediately clear.