UN peace envoy Mladenov says durable Gaza ceasefire hinges on Hamas disarmament

Nickolay Mladenov, the diplomat overseeing the U.S.-brokered Gaza ceasefire, said on May 13 that the next durable phase of the truce depends on Hamas giving up its weapons, not necessarily disappearing from Palestinian politics. Speaking in Jerusalem, Mladenov said the ceasefire had avoided a return to full-scale war but remained stalled seven months after it took effect in October. He said the deadlock over disarmament had blocked movement on reconstruction, Israeli troop withdrawals and the formation of a new Palestinian administration. He also said violations by both sides were being addressed “on a daily basis.” ### What exactly did Mladenov change in public? Mladenov said on May 13 that Hamas could remain a political movement if it disavows armed activity, drawing a line between the group’s military capacity and any future civilian or electoral role. “We are not asking Hamas to disappear as a political movement,” he told reporters in Jerusalem, while adding that armed factions could not continue operating alongside a transitional Palestinian authority. (pbs.org) The phrase matters because earlier diplomacy around Gaza often centered on whether Hamas could remain in power at all. Mladenov instead described disarmament as the non-negotiable condition, saying a political party that renounces armed activity could compete in future Palestinian elections. ### What is stuck because Hamas has not disarmed? The ceasefire plan backed by the United States links several tracks together: Hamas handing over weapons, Israeli forces withdrawing, a technocratic Palestinian government taking over, and reconstruction beginning across the enclave. (aljazeera.com) Mladenov said those tracks were now frozen together, with progress on each held up by the dispute over weapons. (timesofisrael.com) In Jerusalem, Mladenov said, “You cannot build a future with armed groups running the streets, hiding in tunnels and stockpiling weapons.” He said Gaza faced prolonged “misery” without disarmament, while also saying the truce had at least prevented a return to full-scale war. ### How does Hamas answer that demand? Hazem Qassem, a Hamas spokesperson, said Mladenov should focus on Israeli violations of the ceasefire rather than press only Hamas on weapons. (pbs.org) Qassem said pressure should be applied to Israel to carry out what was promised in the first phase and move into second-phase talks. Hamas has tied any discussion of demilitarization to Israeli troop pullbacks and a broader political framework. (pbs.org) Reporting in April said the group had resisted a Board of Peace proposal for a phased handover of all arms and instead sought a narrower arrangement that would preserve part of its arsenal. ### What does the current plan require, in practical terms? (aljazeera.com) An April proposal discussed by Mladenov envisioned an eight-month disarmament process beginning with Hamas handing over heavy weapons and maps of its tunnel network within 90 days. Reuters reporting published by the Times of Israel said Hamas was given until April 11 to accept that framework, but talks continued after that deadline passed. (pbs.org) The broader ceasefire framework, as described by Mladenov this week, also calls for Israeli troops to withdraw to the perimeter, an international security force to deploy, and a technocratic Palestinian government to take over administration in Gaza. Mladenov said those steps must unfold together if Israeli withdrawal is to proceed. ### How bad is the situation on the ground while talks drag on? (timesofisrael.com) Mladenov said nearly all of Gaza’s 2 million residents had been displaced and many were still living in tent camps without basic services. He said seven months after the ceasefire took effect, “the door to the future of Gaza is still closed.” Al Jazeera, citing humanitarian groups and conflict monitors, reported that Israeli forces still control more than half of Gaza and that more than 850 Palestinians had been killed since the ceasefire took effect on October 10. (pbs.org) The same report cited ACLED as saying Israeli attacks in April were 35% higher than in March. ### What happens next in the negotiations? (pbs.org) Mladenov met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on May 13 and said his office was still working through violations and the terms for phase two. Earlier reporting said he had warned that momentum could be lost without an agreement on disarmament within weeks, though he also said in April that he remained “fairly optimistic” about reaching an arrangement. (aljazeera.com) The next test is whether mediators can bridge the sequence dispute between Hamas, which wants withdrawals and political guarantees, and the Board of Peace framework, which makes weapons handover the gateway to reconstruction and a new governing authority. Named participants in that next step include Mladenov, Netanyahu and Hamas officials involved in the ongoing contacts. (pbs.org)