The so-called "Peace Board2", President Donald Trump's transitional body for Gaza, assured Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, August 3, that Israel's withdrawal from the enclave would only begin after the complete disarmament of Hamas. Israel had objected to the text published last Thursday by the Board, which demanded a gradual withdrawal within the territory and the immediate cessation of Israeli attacks on the devastated Strip, which persist despite the supposed ceasefire.

First modification: 08/04/2026 - 01:43

This Monday, August 3, the so-called "Peace Board" of US President Donald Trump reassured Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by assuring him that the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza would only begin after the complete disarmament of Hamas, in response to his objections.

Two members of Netanyahu's security cabinet had urged a vote to annul the agreement promoted by Trump after the junta published a text urging Israel to begin a gradual withdrawal.

Netanyahu's office said it had expressed concern to the United States after Trump on Friday called the deal with Hamas to deliver weapons to a fledgling Palestinian governing committee an "important milestone."

Nickolay Mladenov, senior representative for Gaza under the "Peace Board," met with Netanyahu on Monday for what he acknowledged was "a difficult task."

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However, the Board claimed to have reached a "common understanding on shared objectives" with Israel, a statement that seems to confirm the perception of many Palestinians that the body created by Trump responds to Israeli interests.

The Israeli withdrawal beyond the Yellow Line, the fictitious limit for the area occupied by Israeli troops in Gaza (which has been progressively expanding and today comprises 70% of the enclave), "will only take place once disarmament is complete, as Hamas committed to the mediators," the Junta declared in its X account.

Even if Israel withdraws as planned, it would retain control of much of Gaza under the Trump-led October ceasefire pact, violated almost daily by Israel and, to a lesser extent, Hamas.

Read alsoWhat we know about the Hamas disarmament agreement announced by Donald Trump

The apparent gap between Trump and Netanyahu

Israel had opposed the text presented on July 30 by the Junta, which called for a gradual withdrawal within the territory and the immediate cessation of Israeli attacks on Gaza.

"Israel has conveyed its comments and concerns about the proposed framework to our American counterparts. The version that has been made public does not reflect Israel's position," Doron Spielman, spokesman for the prime minister's office, told AFP before the meeting with Mladenov.

The Minister of Finance, the ultranationalist settler Bezalel Smotrich, had claimed that the text was "completely different" from that presented to Netanyahu's security cabinet and, together with a colleague, had demanded that the cabinet "immediately" hold a new vote on the plan for Gaza.

Trump had previously stated that Israel was "very happy" with Hamas's disarmament announcement.

This was the latest sign of the apparent disconnect between Trump and Netanyahu, who faces a difficult re-election race in October and has actively promoted his relationship with the US president, whom he met again in Washington in late July.

Netanyahu's spokesman stated that Hamas' actions since the ceasefire show that it was preparing for "new October 7-style massacres," referring to the Islamist group's attacks in 2023, after which Israel launched a brutal and devastating invasion in Gaza, which persists to this day and has killed more than 73,000 Palestinians in the strip.

"The first indispensable step for any lasting agreement is the genuine, verifiable and irreversible demilitarization of Hamas," Spielman insisted.

Israel refuses to stop its attacks on Gaza

Trump and Netanyahu have also shown differences over the handling of the war that the US and Israel launched against Iran in February and the Israeli government is skeptical of the Republican's diplomatic attempts to end the conflict with the Persian-majority country.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog, whose role is largely ceremonial, offered a more optimistic view of Trump's efforts in Gaza, saying the latest development represented "a very positive step, with the clear caveat and commitment that Hamas must be disarmed."

Mohammad Dahlan, a senior Palestinian political figure who has played a key role in the Gaza plan, said after the presentation of the "Peace Board" roadmap that he had spoken with Trump's son-in-law and adviser, Jared Kushner, who had told him that Israel would end attacks on Gaza starting Sunday.

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But he quickly rectified his social media post, stating that Kushner was "collaborating with the Israeli side to stop the attacks" in Gaza, something Israel has not done and does not intend to do.

He later accused Netanyahu of working "to hinder the most promising opportunity to begin to end this war."

On Monday night, an Israeli strike on a vehicle west of Gaza City killed two Palestinians and wounded several others, according to Mahmoud Bassal, spokesman for the civil defense rescue service. The Israeli army told AFP that the attack targeted two militants.

On Sunday, Israeli strikes killed 19 Palestinians, including women and children.

With AFP

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