Gaza ceasefire hinges on disarmament

Nickolay Mladenov said on May 13 that the next phase of the Gaza ceasefire cannot move forward unless Hamas disarms, putting a hard condition on talks that were supposed to lead to Israeli withdrawal and reconstruction. The former U.N. diplomat, now overseeing the U.S.-brokered arrangement in Gaza, told reporters in Jerusalem that disarmament is “not negotiable,” while also saying Hamas need not vanish as a political movement if it gives up its weapons. Benjamin Netanyahu met Mladenov in Jerusalem on Wednesday as Israeli officials and pro-government media reports pointed to what they described as renewed Hamas military activity inside Gaza. Hamas rejected Mladenov’s framing and said pressure should instead be put on Israel to carry out the first phase of the agreement and allow discussions on the second. (apnews.com) The dispute lands at a sensitive moment in Israel, where former hostages have continued to describe abuse in captivity, including alleged sexual assaults, adding to public anger toward Hamas. NBC News reported this week that several former hostages gave accounts of sexual assault during their time in Gaza. (jns.org) ### What exactly did Mladenov say has to happen before the truce advances? Nickolay Mladenov said on May 13 that the ceasefire’s second phase was effectively frozen because Hamas had not agreed to disarm. He told reporters that the plan envisioned Hamas handing over its weapons, Israeli forces withdrawing, and reconstruction beginning in the devastated enclave. (nbcnews.com) Al Jazeera, citing Mladenov’s Jerusalem news conference, reported that he said, “We are not asking Hamas to disappear as a political movement.” The distinction mattered because it suggested the demand centered on demilitarization, not necessarily the formal dissolution of Hamas as an organization. (aljazeera.com) ### Why is Netanyahu meeting him now? Benjamin Netanyahu met Mladenov on May 13 amid what Israeli reports described as concern that Hamas is rebuilding military capacity during the ceasefire. JNS, citing Channel 13 and Kan News reporting, said an Israeli intelligence document warned Hamas was producing hundreds of explosive devices, mortars and anti-tank rockets each month and gathering intelligence on Israeli troop activity. (aljazeera.com) A January 8 statement from Netanyahu’s office said the prime minister had already told Mladenov that Hamas must be disarmed and Gaza demilitarized under President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan. That earlier public position aligns with the demand Mladenov repeated this week. ### What does Hamas say is blocking the deal? Hazem Qassem, a Hamas spokesperson, said Mladenov should “identify the party violating the ceasefire” and accused Israel of failing to implement the first phase. (jns.org) He said mediators should pressure Israel before moving to second-phase discussions. (gov.il) Al Jazeera reported that Hamas said more than 850 Palestinians had been killed in Gaza since the ceasefire took effect on October 10. A separate ACLED report cited by Al Jazeera and Reuters-based pickups said Israeli attacks in April were 35% higher than in March. ### How are hostage accounts affecting the political atmosphere in Israel? (aljazeera.com) NBC News reported on May 13 that several former hostages described sexual assault and other abuse during captivity in Gaza. One former hostage, Guy Gilboa-Dalal, told NBC News he was assaulted and kept the experience to himself while in captivity. (aljazeera.com) The New York Times reported on May 11 that former hostage Rom Braslavski said he had endured starvation, torture and sexual abuse during his captivity and called on Israel’s government to resign. Those accounts have added to a stream of testimony from released captives as Israeli debate over Gaza policy continues. (nbcnews.com) ### What happens next in the ceasefire process? The second phase of the ceasefire is supposed to cover Hamas disarmament, an Israeli pullback and large-scale reconstruction in Gaza, according to Mladenov’s public remarks on May 13. Until the parties bridge the dispute over weapons, that sequence remains stalled. (nytimes.com) Mladenov said in Jerusalem that the truce was holding but remained “far from perfect,” according to reports citing his visit. Hamas and Israeli officials are now directing their arguments at the same next step: whether mediators first enforce phase-one commitments or press immediately for disarmament as the price of moving on. (msn.com) (aljazeera.com)