Gaza Board of Peace can’t secure Hamas disarmament: report

Hamas’ refusal to disarm is blocking Gaza’s reconstruction.

By World Israel News Staff

The Trump-created Board of Peace (BOP), an international entity tasked with overseeing the rehabilitation of the Gaza Strip following Israel’s war with Hamas, has so far failed to negotiate an agreement that would see the terror group lay down its weapons — something it had previously agreed to do.

Under the terms of the Trump-brokered ceasefire, which came into effect in October 2025, Hamas is required to disarm and relinquish control of the Strip before any large-scale reconstruction of the coastal enclave can begin.

Senior BOP officials, including Director-General Nickolay Mladenov, have been engaged in talks with Hamas leadership in recent weeks in an effort to secure such a commitment. However, negotiations aimed at achieving Hamas’ disarmament have not yielded results.

Regarding disarmament, “Hamas’ response has effectively been ‘yes, but,’” with the “but” reflecting extensive demands and conditions, according to a report by The Jerusalem Post.

Hamas has repeatedly delayed progress on the issue, meaning that plans to rebuild the Strip remain stalled.

In the meantime, particularly as global attention has been diverted by the ongoing war with Iran, Hamas has steadily worked to reestablish and reinforce its grip on power in Gaza.

According to reports, the group has recruited thousands of new members and has resumed collecting taxes and providing services to residents, operating as though it remains the governing authority in the enclave.

“No one was surprised six months ago, and no one is surprised today that Hamas refuses to disarm – including the U.S. and the mediators,” an Israeli official told the Post.

The official emphasized that Jerusalem and the BOP remain fully aligned on the timeline for Gaza’s reconstruction, stressing that rebuilding efforts are conditional on Hamas no longer posing a threat to Israel.

“There is no gap between Israel and the Board of Peace regarding the ultimate goal for the situation in Gaza – namely, the disarmament of Hamas – and that only this can lead to the reconstruction of the Strip,” a source told the Post.