Tel Aviv Stock Exchange Opens Amid Trump’s Hamas Disarmament Announcement and Wall Street Gains
The Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE) opened for the last trading day of the week following U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement regarding a peace council agreement to fully disarm Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza. Trump declared on his social media platform Truth Social that the disarmament deal is a "monumental step forward toward lasting peace and security," and that Israeli forces would withdraw from Gaza upon its completion. He described the agreement as a crucial phase toward establishing a Palestinian government in Gaza that would coordinate with the peace council to support the Palestinian people and prevent Gaza from being a base for terrorist attacks against Israel.
Trump outlined that the disarmament would be implemented gradually, with Israeli forces pulling back after the process, and an international stabilization force (ISF) working alongside a new Palestinian police force responsible for civilian security. However, the practical implications and execution details remain unclear. Hamas official Razi Hamad stated that Hamas would not disarm before an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. U.S. officials indicated that the disarmament plan is expected to begin in the coming weeks, coordinated closely with Israel, and that the planned technocratic government would serve as an alternative to both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority. The peace council emphasized that the agreement’s implementation will take time, and a U.S. source noted that Iran attempted to prevent Hamas from agreeing to the deal.
The TASE’s opening also reflected positive momentum from Wall Street, where major indices rebounded despite U.S. macroeconomic data showing slowing growth and falling oil prices. The Nasdaq rose 2.8% after six consecutive days of losses, the Dow Jones gained 1.2%, and the S&P 500 increased by 1.7%. On the previous day, TASE indices reversed early losses to close up to 1.2%, with chip stocks recovering sharply in line with U.S. trends. Tower Semiconductor rose 5%, the banking index gained 2.2% with Bank Leumi up 3%, while Nice Systems fell 8.2% but remained positive for the week. Novolog surged 11.9% amid ongoing control battles in the healthcare services sector.
