U.S. sees progress toward deal to disarm Hamas, rebuild Gaza

The White House and President Trump's Board of Peace believe Hamas could sign an agreement in the coming days to begin disarming and demilitarizing the Gaza Strip, four sources familiar with the matter tell Axios.Why it matters: A signed agreement would represent a dramatic breakthrough in implementing Trump's 20-point Gaza peace plan. But Hamas has yet to approve the deal, and Israeli officials and Western diplomats remain deeply skeptical that the group will follow through on its commitments.State of play: The decommissioning of Hamas' weapons is the key precondition for Gaza's new Palestinian technocratic government to assume power and for the long process of reconstruction to begin.Large parts of Gaza were destroyed during the two-year war, and most of its 2 million Palestinian residents continue to live in tents or makeshift shelters.Food and other aid are entering Gaza in significant quantities, but the humanitarian situation remains dire.The Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry says nearly 1,200 Palestinians have been killed since the Oct. 10, 2025, ceasefire. Some were Hamas militants, while many others were civilians, including children.Driving the news: The U.S.-led Board of Peace and mediators from Egypt, Qatar and Turkey have spent months negotiating with Hamas over a 15-point plan to demilitarize Gaza and transfer authority to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, or NCAG.Hamas has resisted disarming and sought to transfer civilian authority to the NCAG while preserving its military power.But the Trump administration, the Board of Peace and regional mediators believe mounting external pressure and Hamas' worsening financial crisis could push the group to accept the agreement in the coming days, the sources said.Between the lines: One source involved in the negotiations said the Trump administration and the Board of Peace have focused in recent months on cutting off Hamas' sources of funding."We think we've managed to bring Hamas to a place where they can't say no," the source said.The negotiations are taking place in El Alamein, Egypt, and have entered their final stages, according to the sources.They cautioned that Hamas has yet to give final approval or sign the agreement, and the talks could still collapse.Behind the scenes: Two sources familiar with the talks said Qatar, Turkey and especially Egypt have exerted intense pressure on Hamas to sign the agreement.U.S. officials and others familiar with the negotiations say a key figure is Egyptian intelligence chief Hassan Rashad, who is hosting the talks and has a close relationship with Hamas' new political leader, Khalil al-Hayya.Iran, meanwhile, is pressing Hamas in the opposite direction.During a recent visit to Iran for the funeral of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, the Hamas delegation met with senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) officials, according to a source with knowledge of the meeting.The source told Axios the IRGC officials urged Hamas