Israel, Board of Peace Agree on Hamas Disarmament, Gaza Demilitarization- Netanyahu Office
Israeli soldiers take up positions next to an entrance of a tunnel which the military says Hamas militants used in the southern Gaza Strip.
TEL AVIV (Sputnik) — Israel and the Board of Peace have agreed that the disarmament of Palestinian movement Hamas and the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip must precede the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, Netanyahu’s office said on Monday. «The prime minister and the Board of Peace held in-depth and constructive discussions. It was decided to establish two working groups. The first will focus on disarmament [of Hamas] and demilitarization of Gaza—a process that Israel and the Board of Peace intend to implement as quickly as possible and complete before any reconstruction work begins in the Strip,» the statement obtained by Sputnik read.Earlier in the day, Netanyahu held talks in Jerusalem with US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Jared Kushner and Board of Peace high representative for Gaza Nickolay Mladenov. It was previously reported that US Special Envoy Jared Kushner, during a four-hour meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, insisted that Israel supports the US-proposed ceasefire plan for the Gaza Strip and does not «create obstacles,» according to media on Monday, citing an Israeli source.However, Netanyahu maintained that sticking to the peace plan was «problematic» due to the upcoming elections in Israel scheduled for late October, the person with the knowledge said.The prime minister is not willing to make concession on the Palestinian enclave before the elections, as he is counting on right-wing voters while lagging behind in the polls, the report noted.Netanyahu also said that it is Hamas who should take first steps, the source added.Recent polls revealed that Netanyahu’s coalition is gaining only 49 to 53 seats in the parliament, compared to 67 to 70 for the opposition led by former Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot.On October 9, 2025, Israel and Hamas, with the mediation of Egypt, Qatar, the US and Turkey, agreed to implement the first phase of the peace plan presented by Trump. The following day, a ceasefire went into effect in Gaza. In accordance with the agreement, Israeli troops withdrew to the so-called Yellow Line, retaining control of over 50% of the strip’s territory.In late July, the Board of Peace announced Hamas’ agreement to the roadmap for implementing the next stages of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip. The plan calls for a gradual transfer of control of the Strip to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, with a specially created body to monitor violations by Hamas and Israel.
AnalysisNetanyahu’s Snub of Trump Over Gaza is Posturing Linked to Looming Elections10 August, 16:05 GMT