Hamas 'ready to hand over control of Gaza but will not give up weapons'

However, further steps in the US President's 20-point plan have yet to be agreed, including how the demolished Gaza Strip is to be ruled when fighting ends and the ultimate fate of Hamas, which has rejected Israel's demands it disarm.

"For Hamas, the governance of the Gaza Strip is a closed issue,” a Hamas source said, according to The Telegraph.

"Hamas will not participate at all in the transitional phase, which means it has relinquished control of the Strip but it remains a fundamental part of the Palestinian fabric."

The source added that the terror group had agreed to a "long-term truce, and for its weapons not to be used at all during this period, except in the event of an Israeli attack on Gaza".

Another Hamas source told AFP disarmament was "out of the question" for the group.

Mr Trump has expressed confidence the ceasefire will hold, saying: "They're all tired of the fighting."

He said he believed there was a "consensus" on the next steps but acknowledged some details would still have to be worked out.

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The peace deal calls for Israel to maintain an open-ended military presence inside Gaza, along its border with Israel.

An international force, comprised largely of troops from Arab and Muslim countries, would be responsible for security inside the enclave.

The Israeli military has said it will continue to operate defensively from the roughly 50 per cent of Gaza it still controls after pulling back to agreed-upon lines.

Under the terms of the agreement, the first phase of the plan is expected to see remaining hostages returned to their families and Palestinian prisoners released by Monday morning.

The Government has already said there are no plans to send British troops to be part of the multinational force that will monitor the truce.

About 200 US troops have arrived in Israel, where they are expected to set up a centre to facilitate the flow of humanitarian aid and provide security assistance, according to the Associated Press.

The Gaza war was triggered when Hamas-led militants launched a surprise attack on Israel on October 7 2023, killing some 1,200 people and taking 251 hostage.

In Israel’s ensuing offensive, more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza and nearly 170,000 wounded, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run Health Ministry, which does not differentiate between civilians and combatants but says around half the deaths were women and children.

Mr Trump is expected to visit the region on Monday and address the Knesset, Israel's parliament - the first US president to do so since George W. Bush in 2008.

Sir Keir Starmer will meanwhile travel to Egypt on Monday to attend a "signing ceremony" of the peace plan.

The Prime Minister will pay “particular tribute” to Mr Trump and the diplomatic efforts of Egypt, Qatar and Turkey in “bringing us to this point” before calling for “swift progress towards phase two”, No10 said.

French President Emmanuel Macron will also attend, the Elysee Palace confirmed on Saturday.