Hamas urges Trump's Board of Peace to force Israel's compliance

Hamas called upon Donald Trump's Board of Peace to pressure Israel into accepting the peace proposal for the Gaza Strip, according to The Times of Israel on August 16. The group urged the Board and other countries involved in mediation to compel Israel to fulfill all obligations outlined in the first phase of the U.S.-facilitated ceasefire plan, cease all breaches, halt killings and incursions, and approve the blueprint for the second phase.

This appeal emerged following Jared Kushner, the U.S. president's special envoy, meeting in Egypt with Khalil al-Hayya, the new leader of Hamas, as part of attempts to advance the Gaza ceasefire plan, which had been previously dismissed by Israel. CNN reported that both Kushner and the Board of Peace director, Nickolay Mladenov, are scheduled to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel on August 17.

On August 14, a Board of Peace official, representing the U.S.-led entity tasked with ensuring long-term peace in Gaza, stated that the aim of the meetings was to concretize the subsequent steps of the new ceasefire plan. President Trump unveiled a 15-point peace plan for Gaza the previous month, outlining a series of progressive steps aimed at ending Israeli attacks in Gaza, disarming Hamas, and withdrawing Israeli forces.

After a week of radio silence, Netanyahu publicly rejected the agreement, stating that Israel would not retreat its troops until Hamas is completely disarmed. While Hamas accepted the disarmament plan, it emphasized that this could only transpire if Israel complies with its commitments under the earlier ceasefire agreement. Significant advancements on the ceasefire plan have been challenging to achieve, especially considering the impending elections in Israel.