Gaza Board of Peace member says plan still operative

Nickolay Mladenov, the envoy of the US-backed Gaza Board of Peace, has stated that the full implementation of the peace proposal is the only guarantee against a repeat of the October 7 onslaught in Gaza. This assertion came in an interview with Israel's Channel 12 broadcast on Sunday, following Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's rejection of the 15-point plan and his insistence on Israeli troops not withdrawing until Hamas is disarmed.

The peace plan, unveiled on July 30, outlines steps for Hamas disarmament alongside Israel's military withdrawal from Gaza, and was labeled "historic" by US President Donald Trump. Mladenov warned that the October 7 Hamas attack would "never, ever be allowed to happen" as long as the Board of Peace's plan is fully implemented. He emphasized that the Israeli army would only withdraw from its current positions after Hamas verifies and disarms all weapons, retreating sector by sector once weapons are certified and stored by the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza.

Mladenov clarified that the plan does not limit Israel's right to respond to perceived threats, but if Hamas fails to uphold its commitments, the process would cease. He acknowledged that the plan is not built on trust, but rather on verification, which is the fundamental premise for its success. The plan emerged after months of negotiations between the Board of Peace, Hamas, and mediators from Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, with Hamas accepting it despite Israel's absence from the disarmament talks.

Netanyahu's government opposes the withdrawal from Gaza and supports the establishment of settlements in the territory, and Netanyahu is campaigning for an election, fearing concessions might alienate his base. This stance may put Netanyahu at odds with US President Trump, who backed the Gaza ceasefire and heads the Board of Peace overseeing the peace plan.

US officials reportedly stated that the White House is "not bothered" by Netanyahu's remarks, as long as he continues to restrain attacks in Gaza. Strikes on Gaza escalated after the disarmament plan announcement, drawing criticism from Mladenov and the mediators.