The recent announcement of an agreement to disarm Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza marks an important moment. Establishing a framework that addresses one of the conflict’s most intractable questions helps efforts to resolve an appalling humanitarian crisis.
A text of this latest agreement has not yet been published, but sources say Hamas has agreed to hand over its weapons, military installations and bases to a committee comprising mediators from Egypt, Qatar and Turkey. The UAE has welcomed the news, saying it represented a major step towards ending the conflict.
The agreement itself – despite its significance – does not alone suffice. That will come when all parties actually choose to implement it. This includes all armed groups in Gaza, including known spoilers, and Israel’s military, which is still running amok in the Palestinian territory. Sunday’s killing of at least 16 Palestinians in Israeli drone and air strikes adds to the estimated 1,230 people who have lost their lives in Gaza since a ceasefire agreement last October.
These deaths underline the reality for Palestinians that time is measured in lives. Every delay, every additional round of drawn-out negotiations and every argument about sequencing comes with a punishing human cost.
The reality of that cost has been visible for nearly three years. The UAE’s Operation Gallant Knight, which on Sunday passed its 1,000-day milestone, is a reminder of what sustained commitment and political will can achieve. Since November 5, 2023, this humanitarian effort has delivered more than $3.89 billion in aid, transported more than 126,000 tonnes of essential supplies and supported close to 800 relief flights.
This operation has provided vital relief to Palestinian civilians trapped in a war not of their making. Without it, an even greater humanitarian catastrophe may have taken place. As vital as it is, aid only treats the consequences of conflict; it cannot take the place of political action and hard decisions.
For this deal to deliver on its promise, Israel must end its military presence in Gaza. Hamas, whose decision to launch the October 7, 2023 attack brought devastating consequences for the Palestinian people, has little justification for holding on to an armed role that guarantees further instability and suffering. A failure by either side to take the next step will condemn all parties to more fruitless fighting.
Regional actors, including the UAE, have shown how practical support and diplomacy can make a difference. The role of influential Arab and Muslim countries has helped to bring this disarmament pact close to fruition. The US and other Board of Peace members seem to be engaged enough to bring about the next phase of the peace deal. But another set of declarations, frameworks or future plans can only matter if those commitments translated into action.
