Hamas, Palestinian armed groups agree to surrender weapons

• The Gaza Peace Council says Hamas and other armed Palestinian factions have agreed to surrender their weapons for the first time.
• The groups have also agreed to transfer full governing authority to a transitional administration, according to the council.

Hamas and other armed Palestinian factions have agreed to surrender their weapons and transfer full authority in the Gaza Strip to a transitional administration, the Gaza Peace Council said Wednesday.

The council described the development as the first time Hamas and the armed factions have agreed to such an arrangement.

Under the reported plan, a transitional administration would assume responsibility for governing the Gaza Strip, including civilian and security affairs.

The proposed arrangement is part of a broader plan for the post-war governance of the Gaza Strip, under which Palestinian factions would relinquish their role in governing the territory.

The agreement would also involve mechanisms for collecting, securing and managing weapons as part of the transition.

Details on the timeline for the handover and the mechanisms for implementing the disarmament agreement were not immediately clear.

The announcement comes as efforts continue to establish a new political and security framework for the Gaza Strip following the war.