Trump’s “Peace Board” to Give Hamas Two-Month Disarmament Deadline, Says Israeli Minister

Israel’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has stated that the “Board of Peace,” a body established by U.S. President Donald Trump, will give the Palestinian group Hamas a two-month deadline to disarm. The announcement was reported by the Turkish news agency Anadolu.

In comments published Monday by the Israeli newspaper Makor Rishon, the right-wing minister emphasized, “The peace board will set a two-month timeframe for Hamas to be disarmed.” He added that Israel will not halt its military operations in Gaza until Hamas is completely neutralized.

Referring to the handover of the bodies of hostages to the Red Cross, Smotrich said that Hamas fighters were still seen carrying weapons during the transfer.

Smotrich further stated, “There will be no Hamas presence in Gaza—military, civilian, or governmental. This is our commitment and the central objective of the conflict.”

The Trump-led peace board has not commented on Smotrich’s remarks.

The minister claimed that the Israeli military currently controls more than half of Gaza and has full authority over the territory. He described disarmament as the second phase of the ceasefire, noting, “Unfortunately, we did not begin this three months ago.”

As part of Trump’s broader Gaza strategy, the Board of Peace was announced on January 15. Under this initiative, a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas was signed on October 10 last year, and the board was later approved through UN Security Council Resolution 2803 in November.

According to the White House, Trump chairs the board, supported by an executive committee of experts in diplomacy, development, infrastructure, and economic policy. While the board emerged amid Israel’s military operations in Gaza, its founding charter does not explicitly mention Gaza. Currently, about 2.4 million people live in the territory under severe humanitarian crisis, with around 1.5 million displaced.

The board is described in its charter as an “international organization” tasked with promoting stability in conflict zones, restoring rule of law, and securing long-term peace. The charter grants Trump broad powers, including the authority to appoint members and exercise vetoes. Critics argue that the structure effectively bypasses the United Nations.