Trump Issues Disarmament Ultimatum to Hamas; Phase 2 Deal Near Collapse as Year-End Looms

MAR-A-LAGO — President Donald Trump delivered a definitive ultimatum to Hamas on Monday, warning the group has a "short time" to disarm voluntarily or face enforced demilitarization by U.S. and Israeli forces. The comments, made during a bilateral summit with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, all but extinguish hopes for a "Phase 2" ceasefire agreement before the December 31 deadline.

In a stark shift from recent diplomatic ambiguity, President Trump explicitly named "Hamas" as the target of the disarmament mandate. This rhetorical precision signals the administration's pivot from negotiation to enforcement; the transition to the reconstruction and governance stage of the peace framework is now strictly contingent on the immediate surrender of the group’s arsenal.

The summit was viewed as the final opportunity to break the deadlock on "Phase 2" of the U.S.-backed Gaza peace framework before the year's end. However, the President’s ultimatum, coupled with a formal rejection of disarmament by the Al-Qassam Brigades earlier in the day, suggests the diplomatic track has collapsed. With Hamas vowing to retain its weapons "as long as the occupation remains," the window for a mutual agreement has likely closed.

President Trump indicated that the time for talks is ending, stating that the transition must happen "very quickly." His warning that the alliance "will disarm them" if compliance is not met suggests the region faces renewed military operations rather than the implementation of the peace accords envisioned for mid-2026. The ultimatum was also tied to broader regional security, with the President issuing a concurrent warning to Iran regarding its nuclear ambitions.