Board of Peace blames breakdown of ceasefire in Gaza on Hamas’s refusal to disarm

The Board of Peace has called on the United Nations Security Council to compel Hamas to disarm, citing the group's refusal to decommission as the primary obstacle to implementing a stalled ceasefire in Gaza. Nickolay Mladenov, the High Representative for Gaza, urged member states to use all available means to pressure Hamas and other armed factions.

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At this stage, the principal obstacle to full implementation remains Hamas’ refusal to accept verified decommissioning, relinquish coercive control, and permit a genuine civilian transition in Gaza.

Mladenov's briefing to the Security Council emphasized that Hamas must disarm, relinquish control, and permit a civilian transition in Gaza under the internationally backed roadmap. However, Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem dismissed the Board of Peace's statement as biased, accusing it of adopting Israel's position to justify further escalation.

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The offer conveyed by Hamas presupposes that the Board of Peace and its Palestinian administrative committee are up and running, but this is not the case currently.

Critics of the Board of Peace, which was launched by US President Donald Trump in January, have also labeled Mladenov's report as one-sided. They point to ongoing Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement. Mladenov did concede that Israeli cooperation is also crucial, noting that "implementation cannot advance through Palestinian obligations alone." He highlighted continued killings and restrictions on humanitarian aid as significant issues.

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The statement from the Board of Peace “reflects continued adoption of the Israeli position and serves as an attempt to justify further Israeli escalation.”

The US-brokered 20-point ceasefire plan includes the complete disarmament of Hamas, the destruction of its tunnel network, the withdrawal of Israeli forces, and the establishment of a new Palestinian government. Despite the plan, Israel has not met its obligation to allow 600 trucks of humanitarian supplies daily. The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry reports that 850 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli strikes since the ceasefire began last October.

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Implementation cannot advance through Palestinian obligations alone. The continued killings, Israeli restrictions, and delays affecting humanitarian flows are not abstract issues.