Up First briefing: Hamas-Israel deal; Todd Blanche; U.S. economy : NPR
NPR Topics: Politics — 2026-07-31 06:30:00 — www.npr.org
President Trump Claims Breakthrough Gaza Deal, But Key Disputes Remain
President Trump is claiming that Hamas will completely disarm and Israeli forces will withdraw from Gaza under a new groundbreaking deal. According to the president, his Board of Peace agreed to the plan with the support of mediators from Egypt, Turkey, and Qatar. The announcement comes more than nine months after a U.S.-brokered Gaza ceasefire was signed.
However, a senior official from the Palestinian militant group told NPR they would only give up their weapons if Israel withdraws from Gaza first, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has yet to respond. This directly contradicts Trump’s assertion that Hamas will disarm as part of the deal, highlighting a significant gap between the president’s claims and the positions of the parties involved.
The deal faces hurdles over whether the Israeli or Hamas portion of the agreement should take place first. Trump’s push for a win with Gaza comes as the midterm elections approach, with political analysts warning of consequences if the Iran war continues and gas prices keep rising.
In a separate development, Trump is considering withdrawing his nomination of Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to officially take over the role. Two Republican senators are withholding their support for Blanche due to the Department of Justice’s deal with the president to end his IRS lawsuit. Trump says the withdrawal could be temporary until those two senators, John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, leave office in January.
The senators are requesting written assurances from the Justice Department that both the settlement and the $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund are off the table. They also want clarity on the tax immunity deal for Trump, his family, and his businesses. Reporting indicates that Trump would rather withdraw Blanche’s nomination than provide senators with guarantees of deals that favor him.
Conclusion
President Trump’s statements about a Gaza breakthrough are being challenged by facts on the ground and by the parties directly involved. His claims of Hamas disarmament and Israeli withdrawal do not align with the positions of Hamas or the lack of response from Israel. As political and legal pressures mount, Trump’s public assertions continue to face scrutiny and contradiction from those involved in the negotiations and from within his own party.