Board of Peace official to i24NEWS: Israel’s Gaza commitments ‘backloaded,’ reversible and tied to Hamas disarmament
Board of Peace official tells i24NEWS Israel would take no irreversible steps before Hamas and other armed groups meet security obligations, and the framework has been known to Jerusalem since March
Israel’s commitments under the proposed Gaza framework would come only at later stages, remain reversible and depend on Hamas and other armed groups first fulfilling their security obligations, a senior Board of Peace official told i24NEWS on Friday.
The official said Israel would not be required to take irreversible measures before Hamas’s compliance had been tested and verified, including progress toward disarmament and the transfer of security and administrative control.
The official also rejected reports suggesting that the provisions were new or had emerged unexpectedly from recent talks, saying the central elements had been known to Israel since March and had undergone only limited changes since then.
According to the official, the framework was developed over several months and was not an agreement pursued “at any price.” Hamas had accepted its main provisions through mediators, the official said.
The obligations were not new commitments but had already appeared in agreements reached last year, including US President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan and the Sharm el-Sheikh declaration. The latest framework primarily sets out the sequence in which they would be implemented.
Under the proposal, Hamas would lose access to and control over its weapons. The weapons would not necessarily all have to be physically removed from Gaza, but could be surrendered, stored or placed under the control of the territory’s new governing and security authorities.
The official rejected claims that Hamas would be permitted to retain light weapons, saying all weapons in Gaza would ultimately be held, stored or controlled by the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza.
Security would be supervised by an international stabilization force headed by a US two-star general. A newly established Palestinian police force would operate under international supervision and would be separate from the Hamas-controlled security bodies currently operating in Gaza.
An international verification committee is expected to be established within 14 days to assess whether Hamas has stopped military activity, including recruitment, rearmament and the rebuilding of its forces, and whether Israel has met its corresponding obligations.
Disarmament and Israeli withdrawals could proceed gradually, with areas verified as free of Hamas weapons and military activity transferred to the new authorities before Israeli forces withdraw.