US President Donald Trump has issued a clear warning that Hamas must disarm within a ‘reasonable period of time,’ or face being disarmed by the United States. This statement was made in the context of a major prisoner exchange under a ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel, which was brokered by the United States, Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey. The agreement resulted in the release of 20 Israeli hostages and the return of nearly 2,000 Palestinian detainees.
During a meeting with Argentine President Javier Milei at the White House, Trump reiterated his stance, insisting that Hamas must either disarm or be disarmed by force. He clarified that this demand had been communicated to Hamas through intermediaries, and the group reportedly agreed to disarm in accordance with Trump’s 20-point peace proposal. The plan, however, has been met with skepticism, as some argue it fails to address the broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov previously stated that Trump’s peace plan is ‘the best thing on the table,’ but he emphasized that it does not fully resolve the conflict. Lavrov pointed out that while the plan focuses primarily on Gaza, it only vaguely references Palestinian statehood. He stressed that the final resolution of the conflict requires ‘the creation of a single, territorially integral Palestinian state within the 1967 borders,’ in line with relevant UN Security Council resolutions.