Board of Peace envoy says Gaza plan will guarantee no repeat of October 7 onslaught

Nickolay Mladenov, the US-backed envoy for the Gaza Board of Peace, stated that full implementation of their peace proposal is the sole assurance against future threats to Israel's security. This assertion was made in an interview with Israel's Channel 12 following Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's rejection of the 15-point plan.

The peace plan, unveiled on July 30, outlines steps for Hamas disarming in conjunction with Israel's military withdrawal from Gaza. The plan, deemed "historic" by US President Donald Trump, aims to prevent a repeat of the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack that sparked Israel's war on Gaza. Mladenov emphasized that the proposed disarmament and troop withdrawal would ensure such a tragedy never happens again, as they require Hamas to fully decommission all weapons and Israeli forces to retreat sector by sector once weapons are verified and stored.

He clarified that the plan does not limit Israel's right to respond to any perceived threat. If Hamas fails to meet its commitments, the process would halt. While many in Netanyahu's government oppose the withdrawal, Netanyahu's election campaign and fear of alienating his base could lead to a clash with US President Trump, who supports the ceasefire and chairs the Board of Peace.

Channel 12 reported that a US official dismissed Netanyahu's comments, stating they understand his political needs but expect him to continue complying with the peace process.