The international body overseeing the U.S.-brokered ceasefire in Gaza is set to request that the United Nations Security Council push the Hamas militant group to disarm, according to a report obtained by The Associated Press on Tuesday.
Board of Peace Report Highlights Hamas as Obstacle
The Board of Peace, established by U.S. President Donald Trump to monitor the fragile truce between Hamas and Israel, will present its findings to the Security Council during its Thursday meeting on the Middle East. The report states, "At this stage, the principal obstacle to full implementation (of the ceasefire) remains Hamas' refusal to accept verified decommissioning, relinquish coercive control, and permit a genuine civilian transition in Gaza."
Hamas rejected the report, labeling it as containing "fallacies." A diplomat familiar with the document confirmed its authenticity under condition of anonymity, as it has not been publicly released.
Ceasefire Stalled Over Disarmament Dispute
Trump's 20-point ceasefire plan requires Hamas to surrender its weapons and dismantle its tunnel network. It also envisions Israeli forces withdrawing from Gaza, the establishment of a technocratic Palestinian government, deployment of an international security force, and reconstruction of the war-torn enclave after over two years of conflict.
Last week, Board of Peace head Nickolay Mladenov, a former U.N. Middle East envoy, acknowledged that the truce had stalled since taking effect in October, with the disarmament deadlock paralyzing progress. "Reconstruction cannot commence where weapons have not been laid down," the report asserts. "The critical variable — the single factor that unlocks every other element of the plan — is the conclusion of an agreement on the Roadmap for full implementation, including complete decommissioning by Hamas and all armed groups in Gaza."
Hamas, which led the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel that sparked the war, has accused Israel of failing to meet its obligations under the ceasefire's first phase and has linked demilitarization to Israeli troop withdrawals. Israel's military has expanded its control since the truce, now holding about 60% of the territory.
Security Council Urged to Support Decommissioning
The report calls on the Security Council to "reiterate publicly, clearly and consistently that the decommissioning of weapons in Gaza is not merely a requirement of the U.N. resolution to end the war but critical for reconstruction to begin, for a timebound Israeli forces withdrawal, and for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood." The Security Council endorsed the Board of Peace in a November resolution.
Hamas Accuses Report of Undermining Ceasefire
Hamas argued that the report "contains a number of fallacies that absolve the occupying government of its responsibilities for the daily violations of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza." It claimed the report ignored Israel's failure to uphold most of its commitments, including restrictions on crossings and preventing entry of materials for infrastructure repair and shelter for the largely displaced population.
"The report's adoption of the occupation's conditions regarding disarmament is a dubious attempt to muddy the waters and derail the ceasefire agreement," Hamas stated. It urged the Security Council and Mladenov to compel Israel to fulfill its first-phase commitments, "foremost among them the cessation of the daily aggression against our Palestinian people in Gaza."
Ceasefire Violations Continue
The report notes near-daily ceasefire violations, "some of which are serious, and their human consequences — civilians killed, families living in fear, and continued impediments to humanitarian access — cannot be minimized." Despite the ceasefire, Israel's military continues airstrikes and has advanced deeper into Gaza, controlling more territory than agreed. Living conditions remain dire, with most of the 2 million residents in tent camps lacking basic services.
Mladenov stated last week that his office addresses violations by both sides daily, but emphasized that Hamas' obligation to disarm is "not negotiable" and that progress on all other issues depends on it.
