Netanyahu meets U.S. 'Board of Peace' envoy amid Gaza ceasefire talks

1/ Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu met with the U.S. "Board of Peace" envoy in Jerusalem on May 13, 2026, as Gaza ceasefire negotiations hit roadblocks over Hamas's refusal to disarm. The meeting focused on enforcement mechanisms amid reports of Hamas rebuilding its military networks. 2/ The "Board of Peace" is a U.S. advisory body established under President Trump's second term in January 2025 to oversee Middle East truce implementation. It reports directly to the State Department and includes envoys like retired Gen. Jack Keane, who led this week's talks. The board's mandate covers monitoring Hamas compliance with demilitarization pledges. 3/ Netanyahu's office stated the discussions centered on "strengthening the ceasefire framework," with Israel pushing for U.S. guarantees that Hamas fully vacate northern Gaza and dismantle tunnel networks. Hamas has rejected these terms, calling them "surrender conditions" in statements from Doha on May 12. 4/ Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) intelligence analysis released May 13 details Hamas's reconstitution efforts since the January 2026 truce. Hamas operatives have planted over 200 improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in Gaza City ruins and rebuilt command nodes in 15 locations, using civilian cover. 5/ FDD's report, based on IDF drone footage and intercepted communications, shows Hamas preserving 40% of its pre-war rocket arsenal in hidden caches. "This is not disarmament—it's rearmament under truce cover," said FDD senior fellow Jonathan Schanzer. Israel cited these findings in the Netanyahu-envoy meeting. 6/ Ceasefire terms, brokered in Doha on January 15, 2026, required reopening Rafah crossing and 600 aid trucks daily into Gaza by February 1. As of May 14, only 180 trucks entered daily, per UN OCHA data, due to Israeli security checks on dual-use goods. 7/ Humanitarian groups report Gaza's malnutrition rates at 25% among children under 5, with aid shortfalls exacerbating famine risks in northern areas. "The bottleneck is deliberate," said Médecins Sans Frontières coordinator Dr. Lena Johns in a May 10 field update, blaming Israeli inspections averaging 48 hours per truck. 8/ Israel's Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) defends the process, stating 92% of inspected trucks are cleared within 24 hours. On May 13, COGAT announced plans to increase capacity to 400 trucks daily if Hamas halts IED planting. Aid volumes remain 70% below targets. 9/ The U.S. envoy's visit follows a May 10 Trump administration statement urging "immediate compliance" from both sides. Netanyahu proposed joint U.S.-Israel patrols in Gaza City, but Hamas spokesperson Sami Abu Zuhri dismissed it as "occupation by proxy" on Al Jazeera. 10/ Next steps include a follow-up Board of Peace session in Washington on May 20, where envoy Keane will brief Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Israel expects U.S. sanctions on Hamas funders if reconstitution continues, per sources in Netanyahu's circle.