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Trump says Board of Peace agrees on Hamas disarmament
Middle East: Germany welcomes Hamas disarmament plan
Jenipher Camino Gonzalez | Richard Connor | Karl Sexton with AFP, AP, Reuters, dpaPublished 07/31/2026Published July 31, 2026last updated 08/01/2026last updated August 1, 2026Hamas "must never again pose a threat to Israel," Germany's Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has said. Meanwhile, Iran's military says it hit two "non-compliant oil tankers."
https://p.dw.com/p/5I3AwWhat you need to know
This blog is now closed. It was a roundup of the main developments of the conflict in Iran and the Middle East on Friday, July 31 2026:
- Donald Trump says his Board of Peace has reached a 'historic' agreement on Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups in the Gaza Strip disarming
- The US president says the step is a 'major milestone' in implementing his 20-point plan for Gaza
- German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has welcomed news of the agreement
- Hamas officials reportedly confirm the group has agreed to the Board of Peace's plan
- Iran’s Revolutionary Guards say they hit two oil tankers allegedly trying to pass through the Strait of Hormuz
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Skip next section Hamas disarmament plan 'not acceptable' to Israel, far-right minister says08/01/2026August 1, 2026Hamas disarmament plan 'not acceptable' to Israel, far-right minister says
Israel's National Security Minister, Itamar Ben Gvir, has said the plan to disarm Palestinian militant group Hamas, agreed with US President Donald Trump's Board of Peace, is "not acceptable" to Israel.
In a post on X, Ben Gvir said committing to stop "the eliminations" of members of the Palestinian Islamist militant group would be "tantamount to consenting for Hamas to regroup toward the next massacre" akin to the October 7 terror attacks.
"The targeted killings in Gaza must continue, encouraging emigration must happen, Israel must win," the far-right minister said.
Ben Gvir's remarks are the first from a senior Israeli official about Hamas agreeing to disarm. The Israeli government has yet to comment officially.
Trump hails 'complete disarmament' of Hamas
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https://p.dw.com/p/5I6usSkip next section US, Israel plan to bomb Iran energy sites this weekend — media report08/01/2026August 1, 2026US, Israel plan to bomb Iran energy sites this weekend — media report
The US and Israel are planning a joint bombing campaign targeting Iranian energy infrastructure, US broadcaster CBS reported on Friday.
Citing unnamed sources, CBS said the strikes could be launched throughout the weekend.
CBS said US President Donald Trump had not yet signed off on the strikes, according to the sources.
The assault could be one of the most severe of the US-Israeli war against Iran so far, the report said.
https://p.dw.com/p/5I6uESkip next section Strait of Hormuz: US redirects 30 cargo shops, disabled 2, boarded 2 07/31/2026July 31, 2026Strait of Hormuz: US redirects 30 cargo shops, disabled 2, boarded 2
Dmytro Hubenko EditorThe US military said Friday that it has redirected 30 commercial ships from the Strait of Hormuz since it reimposed its naval blockade against Iran in mid-July.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) added that US forces had disabled two cargo ships and boarded two others "to ensure full compliance" with the terms of its blockade of Iranian vessels and ports.
"The US military has also permitted nearly 30 ships to pass through the blockade for humanitarian aid," CENTCOM added in a post on X.
Iran has said the Strait of Hormuz is closed to commercial shipping traffic and has been threatening to strike ships trying to break its blockade.
The US has repeatedly denied Iran's claims, insisting that the strait remains open.
https://p.dw.com/p/5I6uBSkip next section Trump hails Gaza disarmament deal, says Israel 'very happy'07/31/2026July 31, 2026Trump hails Gaza disarmament deal, says Israel 'very happy'
US President Donald Trump has praised a new plan for Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups in Gaza to disarm, calling it a "great breakthrough" and an important step toward ending the war.
He also said that Israel is "very happy" with the disamament plan, brokered by Trump's Board of Peace.
"We do have an understanding with Israel. Israel is very happy about it. Israel helped us, and they've been very good," Trump said. "Will it go through its ups and downs? It's a very complex situation over there."
Israel has of yet not issued a public statement on the deal.
The proposed deal includes a ceasefire, more humanitarian aid, and a phased Israeli military withdrawal.
It also calls for Hamas and other armed groups to give up their heavy weapons under the supervision of a new Palestinian administration.
Hamas has said its disarmament depends on Israeli troops completely withdrawing from the enclave.
https://p.dw.com/p/5I6oASkip next section EU's Kaja Kallas welcomes disarmament deal07/31/2026July 31, 2026EU's Kaja Kallas welcomes disarmament deal
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said that if fully implemented, the Hamas disarmament deal would be "a constructive step."
She noted that Hamas' "compliance" would be key to the success of the agreement.
"A lot needs to fall in place for this to work. Success depends on the full commitment of all parties. Verifying Hamas' compliance will be a significant challenge. Israel would need to eventually withdraw from Gaza," Kallas wrote in a post on social media platform X.
Kallas also said that the EU was ready to support next steps.
Why is the Israeli-Palestinian conflict so hard to resolve?
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https://p.dw.com/p/5I6IdSkip next section Germany says Hamas must 'never again pose a threat to Israel'07/31/2026July 31, 2026Germany says Hamas must 'never again pose a threat to Israel'
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has welcomed an agreement announced by US President Donald Trump to disarm Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
"It is now crucial that real progress is made and that Hamas actually lays down its weapons," Wadephul wrote in an English-language post on X on Friday.
He said Hamas must "never again pose a threat to Israel," adding that news of the agreement gave him hope.
Wadephul also welcomed plans for Israeli forces to withdraw from Gaza once Hamas has been disarmed.
The foreign minister also said Germany was ready to help the people of Gaza, calling for more humanitarian access.
https://p.dw.com/p/5I5KqSkip next section Iran says it struck tankers in Strait of Hormuz07/31/2026July 31, 2026Iran says it struck tankers in Strait of Hormuz
Iran's Revolutionary Guards say they hit two oil tankers attempting to navigate the Strait of Hormuz under "air escort" from the US military.
The IRGC said the "non-compliant oil tankers" were hit and "brought to a halt." Four other vessels allegedly turned back after the incident.
The powerful paramilitary organization accused the cargo ships of using an undeclared, US-backed route rather than Tehran's designated shipping lane closer to the Iranian coast.
Iran has effectively controlled passage through the strait since the war began on February 28, requiring vessels to seek permission and pay transit fees.
Yesterday, the IRGC claimed two other tankers turned back after one of them caught fire. The accounts could not be independently verified.
https://p.dw.com/p/5I4t8Skip next section Israel says it blew up Hezbollah tunnels near historic Beaufort castle in Lebanon07/31/2026July 31, 2026Israel says it blew up Hezbollah tunnels near historic Beaufort castle in Lebanon
Israel's military conducted a series of detonations overnight near the UNESCO-listed Beaufort castle in Lebanon's south, Lebanese state media reported on Friday.
Lebanon's official National News Agency (NNA) described the explosions as "very powerful."
Meanwhile, Israel said it destroyed Hezbollah tunnels beneath the castle area.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a joint statement saying that the Iran-backed Hezbollah group had intended to use the underground tunnel grid to infiltrate Israel. The account could not be independently verified
They said that the Israeli forces used around 700 tons of explosives to destroy the tunnels.
Israel seizes strategic castle in Lebanon in deep incursion
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It was not immediately clear whether the Crusader-era castle, which is situated in the country's southern area currently occupied by Israel, was damaged.
The castle was added to UNESCO's List of World Heritage in Danger only last week.
Netanyahu and Katz said the explosions were a response to a "blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement" by Hezbollah on Wednesday.
According to Israel, the militant group carried out its first explosive-laden drone attack in over a month, targeting an Israeli military vehicle in southern Lebanon.
https://p.dw.com/p/5I3xiSkip next section Iran receives bodies of IRGC members killed in Iraq bombing — state media07/31/2026July 31, 2026Iran receives bodies of IRGC members killed in Iraq bombing — state media
The bodies of five members of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) killed in joint US-Saudi Arabia strikes in Iraq earlier this week have been repatriated, Iranian state media reported on Friday.
The bodies were brought into Iran through the Mehran border crossing in the western Ilam province, the IRNA state news agency said.
On Wednesday, the US said that it carried out alongside Saudi Arabia a series of strikes on Iraq, targeting Iraqi militants.
The US described the strikes as retaliation for the strikes on US troops in the region and Saudi energy infrastructure by "Iran-aligned terrorists" in Iraq.
The strikes targeted the positions of Hashed al-Shaabi, an Iraqi armed umbrella group which includes several powerful pro-Iran groups.
At least 20 of the Iraqi coalition's fighters were killed in the US-Saudi strikes, including the five Iranians.
Baghdad decried the bombing as unacceptable and a violation of the country's sovereignty.
https://p.dw.com/p/5I3enSkip next section Iran claims drone attack on US facilities in Kuwait07/31/2026July 31, 2026Iran claims drone attack on US facilities in Kuwait
Iran's military claims it had hit strategic US facilities in Kuwait, saying the drone strike was retaliation for an earlier American offensive.
Iranian forces said several drones targeted fighter jet hangars, satellite communications systems and storage facilities at Ahmed Al-Jaber Air Base in southern Kuwait.
A military statement carried by Iran's Fars news agency included footage showing drones being launched but did not say when the attack took place.
The Kuwaiti facilities had played a central role in US air and surveillance operations during the conflict, according to the Iranian military. Tehran described the base as a vital hub supporting American forces.
The Iranian military said they launched the latest strike after the US hit a home on Qeshm Island.
The island lies in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the main flashpoints between Iran and the United States.
https://p.dw.com/p/5I3N7Skip next section WATCH — The dangers of living along Gaza's shifting front lines07/31/2026July 31, 2026WATCH — The dangers of living along Gaza's shifting front lines
In Gaza, new and shifting demarcation lines are reshaping lives. Families face deadly risks, loss and displacement as hopes of returning home are fading.
The dangers of living along Gaza's shifting front lines
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https://p.dw.com/p/5I3EmSkip next section IN DEPTH — Palestinians in Gaza: Stuck between Hamas and Israel07/31/2026July 31, 2026IN DEPTH — Palestinians in Gaza: Stuck between Hamas and Israel
Tania Krämer | Hazem BaloushaHamas is planning to transfer control of Gaza's civilian administration to Palestinian technocrats as part of the fragile US ceasefire. How is that affecting the daily lives of people living in Gaza?
Learn more about how the transition of power in the Gaza Strip will affect Palestinian civilians in this report.
https://p.dw.com/p/5I3EnSkip next section What has Israel said about the plans?07/31/2026July 31, 2026What has Israel said about the plans?
Israel has not commented since Donald Trump announced that the Board of Peace had reached an agreement on the disarmament of Hamas in Gaza.
But before Trump's announcement late on Thursday, an Israeli official had said a 15-point proposal that was being discussed by officials from mediators Egypt, Qatar and Turkey did not meet Israel's demands for the complete demilitarization of the Gaza Strip.
Hamas has said its disarmament hinges on Israeli troops completely withdrawing from the enclave.
Israel, on the other hand, insists that it will not withdraw beyond the so-called "yellow line" before Hamas has completely disarmed.
https://p.dw.com/p/5I3EcSkip next section What will happen to Hamas' weapons?07/31/2026July 31, 2026What will happen to Hamas' weapons?
Under the agreement with the Board of Peace to disarm Hamas, a transitional Palestinian committee of technocrats will run Gaza and will oversee the storing of the militant group's weapons, a senior Hamas official told the AFP news agency.
Hamas would hand over its arms to that transitional administration and to international mediators, rather than Israel.
"The National Committee for Administration of Gaza (NCAG) shall manage and execute the cataloguing and storage of weapons in accordance with the agreed timetable," the official said.
"The National Committee will be the sole entity authorised to retain, store, or control weapons in Gaza," they added.
https://p.dw.com/p/5I3EVSkip next section What is in Trump's 20-point peace plan for Gaza?07/31/2026July 31, 2026What is in Trump's 20-point peace plan for Gaza?
Donald Trump says the agreement on Hamas disarming is a "major milestone" in his 20-point plan for post-war Gaza.
The plan was unveiled in September last year.
Here's a reminder of some of the plan's main aims:
- Creating a pathway to a Palestinian state, which Israel has consistently and vehemently opposed
- Removing Hamas from power and securing a commitment from the militant group to disarm
- Reforming the Palestinian Authority, which runs the occupied West Bank
- Providing an economic plan for Gaza's post-war recovery and growth
- Providing security guarantees for Gaza, which would be enforced by the US and regional powers
- Ensuring that Israel halts all operations immediately upon an agreement, hands over any captured territories, and pledges not to occupy or annex Gaza
- The plan had also called for the return of remaining Israeli hostages, in exchange for Palestinian prisoners
- Those steps were partially fulfilled before the first phase of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas
DW spoke to Palestinian-American humanitarian activist Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib in October about the prospects of Hamas fully disarming. Here's what he had to say:
Hamas 'very unlikely' to fully disarm, Gaza expert says
In the wake of Hamas' announcement on Friday, Alkhatib cautioned that the militant group's claims should be "treated with firm skepticism."
In a post on X, he said a Palestinian police force and a transitional government in Gaza is still "many months away," which will give the group "ample time" to shore up contingency plans and preserve its influence on the enclave's population.
"Just as there is no olive oil without olives, there is no Hamas without weapons and armed resistance. Some members may genuinely want to evolve and enter a political process, and they may; but they are unlikely to do so sustainably and successfully while still operating under the Hamas banner and identity," Alkhatib explained.
https://p.dw.com/p/5I3EUShow more posts