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AXIOS (Barak Ravid) - U.S. sees progress toward deal to disarm Hamas, rebuild Gaza

The White House and President Trump's Board of Peace believe Hamas could sign an agreement in the coming days to begin disarming and demilitarizing the Gaza Strip , four sources familiar with the matter tell Axios. Why it matters: A signed agreement would represent a dramatic breakthrough in implementing Trump's 20-point Gaza peace plan . But Hamas has yet to approve the deal, and Israeli officials and Western diplomats remain deeply skeptical that the group will follow through on its commitments. State of play: The decommissioning of Hamas' weapons is the key precondition for Gaza's new Palestinian technocratic government to assume power and for the long process of reconstruction to begin. - Large parts of Gaza were destroyed during…

How are the negotiations being influenced by external actors like Iran and Egypt?
Egyptian intelligence chief Hassan Rashad is hosting the talks and has a close relationship with Hamas' new political leader, Khalil al-Hayya. Conversely, senior officials from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) met with a Hamas delegation in Iran and urged the group to avoid rushing into an agreement and to play for time.
Q&A ID 3bc2cfd3-6a1e-4e2f-8003-0df4a4234a3b
What are the conditions for further Israeli military withdrawal under the draft agreement?
Any further Israeli withdrawal would depend on the agreement's implementation and would only take place after Hamas has surrendered its weapons. The agreement specifies that Israel would withdraw to the "Yellow Line," the position held after the October 2025 ceasefire.
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According to the proposed agreement, what is the role of the new Palestinian police force?
A new Palestinian police force, consisting of thousands of Palestinians vetted by Israel's Shin Bet security service, would be trained and deployed in areas under NCAG control.
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Where are the final-stage negotiations regarding the Gaza disarmament and demilitarization deal taking place?
The negotiations are taking place in El Alamein, Egypt.
Q&A ID 492605ef-96ca-4f0a-ba17-6b94d4858ba6
What are the specific decommissioning requirements for Hamas weapons under the proposed agreement?
All heavy and light weapons are to be decommissioned over a period of six to eight months. Additionally, Hamas is required to provide maps of its tunnel network, weapons-production facilities, and arms depots.
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What is the primary objective of the 15-point plan currently being negotiated by the U.S.-led Board of Peace and mediators from Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey?
The plan aims to demilitarize the Gaza Strip and transfer authority to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG).
Q&A ID b899c51a-5f04-4931-813e-44ac126bfaef

AXIOS (Marc Caputo) - Bessent sets stage for Xi visit in high-level China talk

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer held a high-level video call with China's vice premier to prepare for the September visit of its president, Xi Jinping, Axios has learned. Why it matters: The call sets the stage for President Trump and Xi to sign future trade deals between the U.S. and China. Zoom in: The cordial video conference call between Bessent, Grier and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng lasted more than an hour. - "I emphasized that we expect Beijing to fully meet its commitments on rare earths and U.S. agricultural products," Bessent told Axios in a written statement. - "We also discussed implementation of the Trade and Investment Boards as a mechanism to secure concrete progress toward…

NYTIMES (Carl Zimmer) - ‘This Is Very Strange’: Ancient Smallpox May Have Been Less Deadly

Scientists have found smallpox viruses in the remains of people in Chile from around 500 years ago, revealing how the virus may have evolved into a global killer.