Donald Trump demands Hamas surrender all weapons as his ‘Greatest Board’ takes over, then the entire effort is upended by one devastating move

President Trump just announced the formation of the “Board of Peace” to oversee Gaza, as per The Hill, months after a fragile ceasefire was established following two years of intense conflict. The president followed up the announcement with absolutely sweeping demands for Hamas, insisting on complete demilitarization for the region to move forward.

President Trump took to Truth Social to share the momentous news, telling everyone, “It is my Great Honor to announce that THE BOARD OF PEACE has been formed.” He promised that the members would be revealed soon, but he was already certain it was “the Greatest and Most Prestigious Board ever assembled at any time, any place.”

Later, the president confirmed that the U.S. has “OFFICIALLY entered the next phase of Gaza’s 20-Point Peace Plan,” citing special envoy Steve Witkoff. As Chairman of the new Board of Peace, President Trump is backing a fresh Palestinian Technocratic Government, officially called the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, which will govern the area during this transition. He made it clear that these new Palestinian leaders are “unwaveringly committed to a PEACEFUL future!”

The goal of this phase is to move from the ceasefire agreement straight into demilitarization, reconstruction, and to establish a new technocratic government

With support from key regional players like Egypt, Turkey, and Qatar, the U.S. plans to secure a “COMPREHENSIVE Demilitarization Agreement with Hamas.” That agreement requires two huge things: the surrender of “ALL weapons, and the dismantling of EVERY tunnel.” The president insisted that Hamas must “IMMEDIATELY honor its commitments, including the return of the final body to Israel, and proceed without delay to full Demilitarization.”

He didn’t mince words about the consequences of non-compliance, stating, “As I have said before, they can do this the easy way, or the hard way. The people of Gaza have suffered long enough. The time is NOW. PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.”

Steve Witkoff, the special envoy, had announced the move, noting that Hamas is expected to “fully comply with its obligations, including the immediate return of the final deceased hostage.” He also issued a stern warning, adding that “Failure to do so will bring serious consequences.” Meanwhile, the president’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who has worked closely on Middle East affairs, called the announcement a “historic new beginning in the Middle East.”

Hamas officials have stated that they will dissolve their government in Gaza once the new Palestinian leadership committee takes over, though they have re-asserted control over the territory since the ceasefire began.

Here’s where the positive momentum hits a massive, frustrating wall. Despite the ambitious new peace plan and the supposed ceasefire, Israel carried out strikes in Gaza soon after, killing nine people. It’s absolutely awful to see violence erupt just as these high-stakes negotiations are being announced.

Moreover, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been on the receiving end of Trump’s praise, wasn’t exactly celebrating the news. He called Witkoff’s announcement largely symbolic and dismissed the new Palestinian governing committee as merely a “declarative move.” When you have key allies immediately downplaying the efforts, you know the road ahead is going to be incredibly difficult.