The Gaza Peace Council said after a meeting between its head Nikolay Mladenov and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the two sides share a common understanding of the final goals: full disarmament of the Strip and transition to civilian rule. Contrary to some reports, the Council emphasized that the full IDF withdrawal beyond the yellow line will occur only after disarmament is completed, as Hamas committed to the mediators. The statement stressed the disarmament covers light weapons, heavy weapons, and tunnels, and will be monitored by the International Stabilization Force and the Implementation Review Committee, which includes the US and the Peace Council.
The Gaza Peace Council issued a statement Monday evening, August 3, following a meeting between its head Nikolay Mladenov and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, explicitly linking the full IDF withdrawal beyond the "yellow line" inside Gaza to the completion of comprehensive disarmament. The Council stated that the withdrawal will occur only after Hamas and other Palestinian factions disarm light weapons, heavy weapons, and tunnels, as committed to mediators. The statement described the meeting as "productive and detailed," and emphasized that both sides share a common understanding of the final goals: full disarmament and a transition to civilian rule.
The clarification resolves a key ambiguity that had emerged in earlier reports. As The Zioneer reported on July 31, the Peace Council's published roadmap included a phased IDF withdrawal synchronized with disarmament, but the precise sequencing remained under negotiation. A senior Council figure had said on July 31 that the withdrawal schedule was still being discussed. Monday's statement formally positions the completion of disarmament as a precondition for the full withdrawal beyond the yellow line, rather than a parallel process. The Council explicitly pushed back against what it termed "inaccurate reports" that may have suggested a different order.
The monitoring architecture for the process was reaffirmed: the International Stabilization Force and the Implementation Review Committee, which includes the United States and the Peace Council, will oversee implementation. The disarmament requirement covers all categories of weapons, including light arms, heavy weapons, and the tunnel network. The Council's statement aligns with the framework previously outlined by President Trump, who wrote on July 31 that IDF forces will withdraw only after Hamas completes its disarmament.
The precise timeline for the disarmament process remains unspecified, and the verification mechanisms for ensuring that Hamas fully relinquishes its weapons have yet to be detailed. The Israeli security establishment continues to prioritize verifiable demilitarization, and questions remain about how the "zero trust" framework announced by the Peace Council will be enforced on the ground.
5 developments
- DevelopingPolitical source: Israel reiterates no withdrawal from Gaza yellow line without disarmament, contrasting Peace Council
- DevelopingStein reports new clarifications on Gaza deal: weapons stored under police control, withdrawal conditional
- StrongTrump says IDF withdrawal after full Hamas disarmament; Mladenov calls for phased pullout
- StrongMladenov: Gaza reconstruction, IDF withdrawal hinge on Hamas disarmament
Source and signal
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