Trump Urges Hamas to Disarm, Announces $5 Billion Pledge for Gaza Reconstruction

US President Donald Trump on Sunday called on Hamas to proceed with full disarmament under his postwar plan for Gaza, announcing that members of his so-called “Board of Peace” had pledged $5 billion for the territory’s reconstruction.

“Very importantly, Hamas must uphold its commitment to full and immediate demilitarization,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform ahead of the board’s next meeting on February 19 in Washington.

Disarmament forms a key part of the second phase of the US-brokered ceasefire plan, which was agreed upon in October following Hamas’s attack on Israel in 2023. The plan, endorsed by the United Nations in November, calls for a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and the disarmament of Hamas, with an international stabilization force deployed to maintain security.

Hamas has consistently regarded disarmament as a “red line,” though it has suggested it might consider transferring its weapons to a future Palestinian governing authority. Both sides continue to accuse each other of violating the ceasefire.

Originally intended to supervise Gaza’s reconstruction, the “Board of Peace” appears to have a broader mandate. “The Board of Peace has unlimited potential,” Trump added in his post.

After an initial gathering during the World Economic Forum in Davos last month, the board is scheduled to convene again this Thursday in Washington.