Hamas Rejects Gaza Disarmament Plan, Demands Israel Fulfill Phase One Commitments
Hamas has officially rejected a disarmament proposal for Gaza presented by Nickolay Mladenov, the US-led Board of Peace’s high representative, according to a senior Palestinian official. The group refuses to engage in second-phase ceasefire negotiations until Israel fully implements all obligations from the first phase, which began in October 2025. Hamas accuses Mladenov of bias toward Israel, arguing that his framework links demilitarization to reconstruction without guaranteeing Palestinian self-determination or providing adequate financial support for recovery. Key demands for moving forward include a complete Israeli military withdrawal, the reopening of all border crossings, unrestricted aid entry, and the deployment of international protection forces. Additionally, Hamas insists on restoring essential services like electricity and water, and enabling the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza to operate. While the initial phase successfully exchanged hostages for prisoners and initiated partial Israeli withdrawals, deadlock persists. Israel maintains it will not proceed without progress on Hamas's disarmament. This stalemate halts the transition to a permanent end to the war, leaving reconstruction efforts stalled and humanitarian conditions critical amidst ongoing violations and starvation concerns reported by Palestinian factions.
Wire timeline
Hamas Rejects Gaza Disarmament Plan, Demands Israel Fulfill Phase One Commitments
Hamas has officially rejected a disarmament proposal for Gaza presented by Nickolay Mladenov, the US-led Board of Peace’s high representative, according to a senior Palestinian official. The group refuses to engage in second-phase ceasefire negotiations until Israel fully implements all obligations from the first phase, which began in October 2025. Hamas accuses Mladenov of bias toward Israel, arguing that his framework links demilitarization to reconstruction without guaranteeing Palestinian self-determination or providing adequate financial support for recovery. Key demands for moving forward include a complete Israeli military withdrawal, the reopening of all border crossings, unrestricted aid entry, and the deployment of international protection forces. Additionally, Hamas insists on restoring essential services like electricity and water, and enabling the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza to operate. While the initial phase successfully exchanged hostages for prisoners and initiated partial Israeli withdrawals, deadlock persists. Israel maintains it will not proceed without progress on Hamas's disarmament. This stalemate halts the transition to a permanent end to the war, leaving reconstruction efforts stalled and humanitarian conditions critical amidst ongoing violations and starvation concerns reported by Palestinian factions.
BBC News