Hamas Agrees to Demilitarize Gaza Amid Fragile Ceasefire

High Representative for Gaza Nickolay Mladenov informed the United Nations Security Council that Hamas and other armed factions have agreed to a historic breakthrough to demilitarize and transfer all civilian and security authority to a UN-recognized transitional administration. This performance-based process requires the verification of each phase before proceeding, with weapons placed under international supervision.

Despite the agreement, Mladenov warned that the ceasefire remains fragile. He reported that Hamas has failed to fully meet its commitments and is rebuilding tunnels. Simultaneously, Mladenov criticized the Cabinet of Israel for continuing strikes outside of de-confliction mechanisms, arguing such force obstructs the civilian transition and risks a return to war. While Israel is not a signatory to the roadmap, it has reaffirmed commitments under the Sharm el-Sheikh protocol.

Humanitarian tensions flared during the UN briefing. U.S. Ambassador Michael G. Waltz accused Hamas leadership of hoarding aid and maintaining luxury while civilians suffer. Conversely, French Ambassador Jérôme Bonnafont condemned Israeli settler violence and argued that restoring living conditions should not be subordinated to the disarmament process. Athena Rayburn of the Association of International Development Agencies further criticized the Board of Peace, claiming it is failing to provide sustained recovery for the region.