Gaza ceasefire stalls as Israel, Hamas clash over disarmament terms
A US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas began in October 2025 under President Trump's 20-point peace plan. The first phase, which involved hostage exchanges and partial Israeli withdrawal, ended in January 2026 when the last hostage remains were returned. Now in phase two, negotiations focus on Hamas disarmament and Israeli troop withdrawal. However, major obstacles persist. Israel has documented over two thousand ceasefire violations through attacks, while Hamas refuses to discuss disarmament until Israel fully implements phase one commitments. In late July, Trump announced an agreement on a disarmament roadmap, but Israel has not publicly accepted it, citing security concerns that Hamas continues to rearm. Both sides remain at an impasse, with Palestinians skeptical given continued airstrikes that have killed at least 1,100 since the ceasefire began. Reconstruction efforts and humanitarian aid remain severely restricted.
Key facts
- A ceasefire began October 10, 2025 under Trump's 20-point plan, with phase one ending January 2026 when final hostage remains were returned
- Gaza's Government Media Office documented over 2,073 Israeli ceasefire violations from October 2025 to March 2026, including airstrikes and gunfire
- Israeli strikes since the October ceasefire have killed at least 1,100 Palestinians, with total Gaza death toll reaching over 73,000 since October 2023
- Israel controls approximately 64 percent of Gaza's territory compared to 53 percent envisioned under the ceasefire agreement
- Only 23,019 of 54,000 expected humanitarian aid trucks entered Gaza from October 2025 to January 2026, representing 43 percent of target
- Phase two focuses on Hamas disarmament and Israeli withdrawal, with a tentative agreement announced by Trump on July 31, 2026
- Israel has not publicly accepted the July disarmament roadmap and expressed serious security concerns about Hamas's commitment to genuine decommissioning
- Hamas refuses to discuss disarmament until Israel fully implements phase one commitments including troop withdrawal and aid delivery
How different outlets framed it
Left-leaning coverage: Left-leaning outlets highlight Israeli violations of the ceasefire and describe it as a cover for continued military operations. They stress that Israel has killed over 1,100 Palestinians since October, restricted aid entering Gaza, and Netanyahu is allegedly delaying peace to appease right-wing allies ahead of elections. They frame the situation as Israel exploiting the ceasefire to prolong destruction rather than genuinely pursuing peace.
Right-leaning coverage: Right-leaning perspectives, particularly Israeli officials, stress that Hamas continues to rebuild military capabilities and cannot be trusted to genuinely disarm. They argue that allowing Hamas-controlled disarmament oversight in Gaza is unacceptable and that Israel must maintain security control and presence until verified complete disarmament occurs. They view the latest July agreement as inadequate without Israel's ability to monitor weapons removal.
Limits of this briefing
Ceasefire violations are disputed by both parties; casualty figures vary depending on source. The July 2026 disarmament agreement remains unconfirmed by Israel and its implementation status is uncertain as of early September 2026.
Sources
- Al Jazeera: Gaza Board of Peace announces Hamas disarmament agreement: What we know Left
- Council on Foreign Relations: A Guide to the Gaza Peace Deal Centre
- NPR: Israel says it has serious concerns with the White House's Hamas disarmament deal Centre
- Times of Israel: Full text of Board of Peace deal for Hamas to disarm, Israel to withdraw from Gaza Right
- J Street: Nine Months In: Assessing the Status of the Gaza Ceasefire Left