Israel says ceasefire void if Hamas won't disarm, Board of Peace tells Palestinians
Submitted by
MEE staff
on
Thu, 05/07/2026 - 10:27
Hamas has rejected disarmament proposals, citing ongoing Israeli ceasefire violations
Mourners at the funeral of a Palestinian boy killed in an Israeli strike on a police post at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, 5 May 2026 (Reuters/Dawoud Abu Alkas)
Off
The US-backed Board of Peace has told Gaza technocratic committee officials that Israel is not obligated to uphold ceasefire commitments if Hamas refuses to disarm, a document obtained by the Times of Israel has revealed.
In the letter, Nickolay Mladenov, the Board of Peace High Representative for Gaza, warned the head of the Palestinian technocratic government – which is intended to replace Hamas in governing Gaza – that the group’s refusal to accept the panel’s proposal to disarm will render the terms of the October 2025 so-called Gaza ceasefire “null and void”.
Under the terms, Israel is obligated to halt all attacks, dramatically upscale aid entry into the territory, fully reopen the Rafah crossing, and withdraw all its troops behind the agreed “yellow line”.
Hamas has rebuffed the disarmament proposal presented to it by mediators in Cairo, which requires all armed groups in Gaza to surrender their weapons within 90 days.
Palestinian negotiators say statehood and self-determination must coincide with security arrangements, adding that continued Israeli violations have undermined confidence in the ceasefire process.
Israel has repeatedly violated the terms of the ceasefire, killing at least 832 Palestinians in near-daily shelling, according to the Palestinian health ministry.
Overall, Israeli forces have killed over 72,000 Palestinians since October 2023. Thousands more remain missing and beneath the rubble.
The terms of the agreement additionally stipulate that Israel would allow up to 600 aid trucks into the territory per day. However, Gaza authorities say Israeli restrictions have kept the average at just over 200 trucks daily.
On Tuesday, Israeli army radio reported that the military has expanded its control of the territory to nearly 60 percent as it prepares for a possible resumption of war.
Israeli forces have expanded the so-called “Yellow Line” to absorb more of Gaza, pushing the population into roughly 40 percent of the enclave, while troops remain stationed across the remaining 60 percent in the south, north and east.
While the document does not explicitly state that Israel has violated the ceasefire terms, it outlined eight key provisions from a previously unpublished humanitarian annex tied to the agreement, stating that Israel has recommitted to implementing them.
Middle East Eye previously reported, citing Palestinian sources with direct knowledge of the talks, that Hamas views the disarmament proposals as a “trap” designed to ignite civil war in the Gaza Strip and destabilise Palestinian society.
The group fears the proposal would leave Palestinians in Gaza defenceless while allowing Israeli-backed armed gangs to operate freely and spread disorder.
Israel's genocide in Gaza
News
Post Date Override
0
Update Date
Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19
Update Date Override
0