With Hamas Refusing to Disarm, Netanyahu Meets "Peace Council" Chief on Gaza

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met today (Tuesday) at his Jerusalem office with the CEO of the "Peace Council," Nikolay Mladenov, and his team, against the backdrop of the ongoing stalemate in the Gaza Strip and the deadlock in talks with Hamas.
At the end of the meeting, Mladenov described the talks as "a positive, in-depth discussion," stressing that "we reaffirmed our commitment to the full implementation of President Donald Trump's comprehensive 20-point plan." He added, "we will work with all sides to turn that commitment into concrete actions."

Earlier this week, sources familiar with the details of the talks reported that contacts between the mediators and representatives of the "Peace Council" and Hamas had reached an impasse. After roughly two weeks of intensive negotiations, the organization delivered a negative response.

A source familiar with the matter noted that "Hamas's refusal to disarm was expected and surprised no one. All sides clearly understand that it contradicts President Trump's 20-point plan. Therefore, this refusal will have consequences." It was further clarified that the "Peace Council" does not intend "to fall for Hamas's ploy," and that it is now necessary to reexamine the Strip's reconstruction plan and even prepare for a no-agreement scenario.

For their part, Hamas made it clear to the mediators that they would not agree to move to the next phase of any agreement as long as Israel does not commit to full implementation of all clauses of the first phase. This position is consistent with a principles document revealed last month, in which the organization rejected any framework that includes disarmament without a full Israeli withdrawal from the Strip and the lifting of the blockade.

In Israel, according to the reports, officials had anticipated in advance that Hamas's response would not meet the demands, and therefore began formulating operational alternatives. A security official said, "We understand that Hamas is doing everything it can to dodge. If it does not disarm on its own, the IDF will return to fighting in Gaza in the near future to complete the mission."