Gaza mediators deliver sharp rebuke to Israel for 'undermining peace plan' with strikes

Egypt, Qatar and Turkey have harshly rebuked Israel for its recent strikes in Gaza, arguing that they contradict the peace plan brokered by US President Donald Trump. A statement released by the three mediators condemned Israel's ongoing and lethal violations that have caused the deaths of Palestinian women and children. They urged Israel to adhere to the ceasefire provisions from October, noting that its actions further undermine efforts to implement the second stage of the agreement, particularly after Hamas and other factions accepted the roadmap, including disarmament.

Sources familiar with the talks said Egypt, Turkey and Qatar are communicating with the US administration to explore potential solutions after Israel's rejection of the roadmap. One source told the report that US pressure on Israel to be more flexible is now the mediators' only hope, though it's not always effective. Qatar affirmed on Tuesday that all participants, including the US, are working to ensure the Trump's Gaza plan progresses.

The Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman, Majed Al Ansari, indirectly blamed Israel for preventing the agreement's implementation.

The 15-point road map proposes that Hamas and its allies hand over heavy weapons, military manufacturing facilities, bases, rocket launchers, and maps of underground tunnels to representatives of the mediators, who will then transfer them to a UN-backed committee of Palestinian technocrats. The Palestinian groups, however, insist on retaining their personal firearms for self-defense and want Israel to cease targeting their leaders and guarantee safe passage for those wishing to leave Gaza.

Israel has accepted in principle the rehabilitation of around 10,000 employees of the Hamas government, including police officers, and the admission of an International Stabilization Force into Gaza to maintain security. However, Israel has effectively rejected most of the road map's provisions, according to sources. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's spokesman, Doron Spielman, said the version of the framework made public does not reflect Israel's positions.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog acknowledged the deal as a "very positive step" but stressed that Hamas must be fully disarmed for progress to continue.

High Representative of the Trump-led Board of Peace, Nickolay Mladenov, met with Netanyahu on Monday to urge him to stop military operations in Gaza. The Board of Peace statement, however, did not mention Israel's latest strikes. Mladenov's post on X emphasized the shared objective of fully disarming weapons in Gaza and transitioning to civilian governance, with the process to be outlined in the next phase of the work.

Despite the positive outlook, the ongoing Israeli strikes in Gaza raise concerns about the future of the Trump plan.