Hamas not expected to okay disarmament offer by Saturday deadline, but talks ongoing — sources

By Jacob Magid

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9 April 2026, 10:59 pm

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Jacob Magid is The Times of Israel's US bureau chief

Palestinians walk along tents at a makeshift camp for displaced people in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, April 9, 2026. (AP/Abdel Kareem Hana)

The Board of Peace does not expect to receive a final approval from Hamas to its disarmament proposal by the Saturday deadline set by the international body overseeing the postwar management of Gaza, three sources familiar with the matter tell The Times of Israel.

While the deadline is unlikely to be met, intensive talks with Hamas are ongoing in Cairo with the participation of the Board of Peace’s High Representative for Gaza Nickolay Mladenov as well as representatives from mediating countries Turkey, Qatar, Egypt and the United States, two of the sources say.

One of the sources stresses that progress is still being made in advancing key elements of US President Donald Trump’s plan for ending the war and expressed hope that Hamas will give its final approval to the Board of Peace’s disarmament proposal in the coming days, even if it may come shortly after the Saturday deadline.