The Gaza Peace Council (Board of Peace) stated that Israel's withdrawal from the Strip is contingent on the complete disarmament of Hamas, according to a report by the Insider Paper. The condition echoes the framework previously announced by President Trump.
The Gaza Peace Council (Board of Peace) issued a series of clarifying statements Monday evening, all at 20:26 Jerusalem time, following a meeting between its CEO Nikolay Mladenov and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The Council explicitly stated that full Israeli withdrawal beyond the yellow line will occur only after Hamas completes the disarmament of light weapons, heavy weapons, and tunnels, as the terror group committed to mediators. Implementation will be supervised by the International Stabilization Force and the Implementation Review Committee, which includes the United States and the Peace Council.
The Council's statements, published in rapid succession, were prompted by what it termed "inaccurate reports" suggesting a different timeline. They align with President Isaac Herzog's earlier remarks at 14:44 Jerusalem, in which he stressed that Hamas must be fully disarmed before the second phase of the Trump peace plan can commence. The Peace Council's framework, first announced by President Trump on Friday, has been formally accepted by both Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, though the specific implementation details remain under negotiation.
As The Zioneer reported on Friday, the disarmament agreement outlines a phased Israeli military withdrawal synchronized with the surrender of weapons to an international stabilization force. The Council's repeated emphasis on the disarmament condition highlights the central issue of the sequence and verification of disarmament.
The precise timeline for the disarmament process remains unclear, and the Council's statements do not address how verification will be conducted or whether Hamas will comply with the full scope of disarmament, including the destruction of tunnels. The Council's own clarifications follow an initial report by the Insider Paper, which cited the Council's position.
5 developments
- DevelopingPeace Council aligns with Israel: Gaza withdrawal only after disarmament
- 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
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