Hamas will not be permitted to veto the progress the US-backed Board of Peace is seeking to make in Gaza.
The Board of Peace is working on several tracks to advance plans for Gaza. They include plans for security and the economy.
In the near future, developments regarding Gaza are expected, a person familiar with the diplomatic efforts told The Jerusalem Post.
It is not known whether Hamas will cooperate and agree to decommission its weapons, but it will not have veto power over the next steps, the source said.
“Hamas doesn’t call the shots,” the source added, and it controls less of Gaza than it did in the past.
On Thursday, the Board of Peace, which was created in the wake of the US-backed Gaza ceasefire deal, reported about new progress regarding Gaza.
What is happening with the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire?
Kosovo Ambassador to Israel Ines Demiri visited the Life Support Area Endurance on the Gazan border, which the Board of Peace said would “serve as a vital waypoint for ISF [International Stabilization Force] to refit while supporting restoration and humanitarian efforts.”
The ISF is supposed to deploy to Gaza. Kosovo is one of the countries that has contributed to the ISF.
The post by the Board of Peace is another signal that the Gaza plan is slowly moving forward. It has not been in the limelight recently.
Together with Kosovo Security Forces officers from the ISF team, Demiri said she had “visited their base to learn more about their important work. Their service and dedication reflect Kosovo’s steadfast commitment to supporting international peace, security, & stabilization efforts,” she wrote on X/Twitter
Meanwhile, there are potential positive signs from recent Gaza talks, London-based newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat reported. A source from the team of Board of Peace envoy Nickolay Mladenov and another from Hamas said there were “positive” signs regarding the ceasefire in Gaza, the report said.
“The two sources spoke separately to Asharq Al-Awsat about the mood around meetings Mladenov held in Cairo with a Hamas delegation and representatives of the mediator states, Egypt, Qatar, and Turkiye [sic],” it added.
Asharq Al-Awsat reported on a recent meeting with Hamas and the desire to bridge gaps in the road map.
“According to the same source, the Hamas delegation met Mladenov in Cairo on Wednesday afternoon to explain the importance of the amendments made to the road map and try to speed up the movement’s response,” the report said. “The source said the amendments would be discussed with the Palestinian factions before a reply is given.”
Hamas control in Gaza
On June 5, a Hamas delegation arrived in Cairo for talks about advancing the ceasefire. There are concerns that plans in Gaza could stall if Hamas does not disarm.
Hamas controls about 40% of Gaza. It appears that Gaza’s two million civilians continue to be forced to live under Hamas control, with few options to leave the Hamas-run area.
The goal of the Gaza plan that the Trump administration secured last October and November, however, is that the Gazans will have new options to be free from Hamas.
The issue of Gaza has been relatively quiet lately, as the region has focused on the Iran conflict. The Trump administration pushed hard for a ceasefire and hostage deal in 2025.
THE DEAL came into view in September, and by October, there was a ceasefire, and all the remaining hostages returned to Israel. The US also received UN support for the plan.
The Board of Peace took shape in January and had its inaugural meeting on February 19. The Iran war began on February 28; however, since then, issues in Gaza have largely not been in the spotlight.
Nevertheless, there has been progress. US Central Command helped set up the Civil-Military Coordination Center (CMCC) in Kiryat Gat last October.
The ISF is also slowly taking shape. A team of soldiers from Kosovo and Albania conducted an evaluation of their role in the ISF in April. It appears that Morocco and Kazakhstan will also participate. Indonesia has said it is reviewing its role. Four other countries are considering contributing to the ISF.
The coming weeks are expected to have more active discussions. A key issue is how to get the Palestinian National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG) involved in Gaza alongside the ISF and also the training of Palestinian police.
The goal is to create an area where civilians can live free of Hamas. This also means ramping up goods and services to create a better alternative, the source familiar with and involved in the diplomatic efforts told the Post. This will mean enabling people to live free from the oppression of Hamas.
Hamas will need to agree to lay down its arms. The Board of Peace does not want to be stopped by Hamas refusing to disarm.
The new Life Support Area near Kerem Shalom, cited by the board and the Kosovo ambassador, is an example of the progress. Economically, there are also a range of programs being planned, the source said.
There are many questions about what might come next. Could the ISF secure certain pockets in Gaza and enable the NCAG to play a role? Would it be in the areas between the IDF-controlled Yellow Line and the areas Hamas controls.
As the Hamas-run area shrinks, there are areas that are in limbo. These could be seen as orange areas.
It appears that many things are in motion, and plans are in the air. The timeline is still unclear, but it’s plausible that new details will emerge in the coming days and weeks.
US President Donald Trump recently met Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on the sidelines of the G7. This is important and could influence progress in Gaza.
In addition, it appears that the White House is preparing to welcome Arab leaders and officials within the next month. This includes US outreach to Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, and possibly the Palestinian Authority.
With the Iran memorandum of understanding signed and a ceasefire in Lebanon, it could mean Gaza will be in the spotlight in late June and July. This will also mean engagement with Turkey, Qatar, and Egypt.
Challenges remain. How will Hamas disarmament be measured? How many small arms does Hamas have? Hamas will likely try to wriggle out of handing them over. Can certain areas be designated as disarmed initially?
Ultimately, Trump’s 20-point plan, which is backed by UN Security Council Resolution 2803, is the benchmark, the source said, and Hamas will need to lay down its weapons.
The Board of Peace is not going to wait around while Hamas stalls or sets new conditions for its disarmament. It is working to prepare for governance, stabilization, and reconstruction, the source said.
