In brief
Hamas has formally rejected a disarmament plan proposed by Nickolay Mladenov, citing bias towards Israel. The group has stated it will not engage in further negotiations until Israel fully complies with previous agreements, complicating peace efforts following the recent ceasefire.
Hamas has rejected the disarmament plan of a top figure in President Donald Trump's Gaza peace efforts, according to a senior Palestinian official familiar with the negotiations.
The official accused Nickolay Mladenov, the high representative for Gaza on the US-led Board of Peace, of bias towards Israel. Last month, Mladenov outlined a framework for Gaza's demilitarization as part of the second phase of the ceasefire deal agreed upon by Hamas and Israel in October.
Hamas informed regional mediators that it would not engage in talks concerning the second phase until Israel fully implemented the terms of the first phase. Israel has indicated that it will not proceed without progress on Hamas's disarmament.
A Hamas delegation was scheduled to meet Egypt's intelligence chief in Cairo prior to their departure. The initial phase of Trump's peace plan had halted conflict, returned Israeli hostages held by Hamas in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, and included a partial withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
In mid-January, US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff announced the initiation of phase two of Trump's plan, aimed at a permanent end to the war following Gaza's demilitarization and a full Israeli withdrawal. However, negotiations have been stalled since then.
Mladenov's recent plan requires Palestinian armed groups in Gaza to decommission their weapons and links compliance to the commencement of reconstruction efforts in the territory, which has been devastated by recent military actions.
The ongoing crisis was ignited by an attack led by Hamas against Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in significant casualties and hostages taken to Gaza. Since then, Israeli military actions have led to over 72,330 deaths in Gaza, according to Hamas-run health ministry reports.
A senior Hamas official stated they are awaiting a clear timetable from Mladenov for Israel to fulfill its remaining obligations from phase one, along with guarantees to halt violations, before discussions on phase two can commence.
Moreover, Hamas factions expressed that issues surrounding disarmament should be connected to a broader solution that ensures the Palestinian people's right to self-determination, rather than being subject to partial frameworks, emphasizing concerns that Mladenov's approach aligns too closely with Israeli positions.
Mladenov stressed that laying down arms would pave the way for a significant transition in Gaza, marking either a new beginning or the resumption of conflict. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned that Hamas will face disarmament through either negotiation or force.
