Board of Peace envoy says Israeli strikes in Gaza interfere with efforts to disarm Hamas

The IDF continued to carry out strikes in the Gaza Strip on Sunday, despite the U.S. announcement about an agreement for the disarmament of the Hamas terror group, which ostensibly included a full ceasefire.

Palestinian officials reported 18 people, including several members of Hamas. killed in Gaza on Sunday as a result of Israeli strikes.

Israeli officials have said that halting the targeted strikes and Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip are contingent on Hamas' complete disarmament.

The IDF announced on Sunday evening the targeting of Alaa Imad Khamis Taramisi, a terrorist from the “Army of Islam” organization, and Hassan Ibrahim Shahda Kahman, a terrorist from Palestinian Islamic Jihad, in earlier strikes.  

צה"ל חיסל שלושה מחבלים שקידמו מתווי טרור נגד כוחותינו ברצועת עזה

צה"ל תקף במרחב העיר עזה אתמול, וחיסל את עלאא עמאד חמיס תראמסי, מחבל מארגון הטרור 'צבא האסלאם', ואת חסן אברהים שחדה קחמאן, מחבל מארגון הטרור גא"פ.

בתקיפה נוספת בצפון הרצועה בשבוע שעבר, חוסל המחבל אחמד חדרי, מחבל… pic.twitter.com/8fbQzzlmKN

— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) August 2, 2026

At the same time, Board of Peace Director-General and High Representative for Gaza Nickolay Mladenov condemned the strikes for hindering efforts to deescalate and achieve peace. 

“Two days of strikes across Gaza have killed civilians and destroyed medical supplies that people depend on,” Mladenov posted on 𝕏 on Sunday. “This comes after intense efforts by the Board Of Peace and the mediators (Egypt, Turkiye, Qatar and the US) to bring the Palestinian factions in Gaza to agree to a Roadmap on the full implementation of President Trump's plan, to hand over civilian governance and to decomission their weapons.” 

Two days of strikes across Gaza have killed civilians and destroyed medical supplies that people depend on. This comes after intense efforts by the @BoardOfPeace and the mediators (Egypt, Turkiye, Qatar and the US) to bring the Palestinian factions in Gaza to agree to a Roadmap…

— Nickolay E. MLADENOV (@nmladenov) August 2, 2026

Mladenov said that both Israel and Hamas “carry obligations under the Comprehensive Plan and the Sharm El Sheikh deal.” 

“My team and I are working around the clock with the parties, the mediators and regional partners to de-escalate and create the space for the full implementation of the President's plan,” Mladenov wrote. “Achieving a lasting peace is hard but achievable if everyone make their best efforts.” 

His comments came after reports that Palestinian Islamic Jihad had also agreed to the disarmament deal announced by U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday night. 

The Israeli government, however, reportedly remains skeptical of Hamas’ commitment to disarm. 

Doron Spielman, spokesperson for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office (PMO), told the Associated Press that Israel believes Hamas remains committed to rebuilding its military arm. 

“Our assessment is that if we redeploy before Hamas is truly disarmed, it will quickly expand its presence throughout Gaza, rebuild its terrorist infrastructure, once again threaten Israeli communities, and seek to carry out another Oct. 7-style attack,” Spielman said. 

“Disarming means physically giving up the weapons. Nothing less,” he added. 

Israeli Energy Minister and former Foreign Minister Eli Cohen told Army Radio that the government would allow Hamas to disarm, but expressed doubts about the terror group’s sincerity. 

“In the deal we signed with the United States, our stance is that Hamas must be dismantled. This is the first thing that must happen,” Cohen said, reiterating Israel’s stance that the disarmament of Hamas must precede the IDF’s withdrawal. 

A Board of Peace official told the Times of Israel that officials are hoping to achieve calm ahead of next steps in the agreement. 

“There’s been a lot of rhetoric and a lot of things said, and now quite a few actions in the last hours,” he said. “We’re trying to get over the hurdle and just get some calm in because I think that’s a critical first step.” 

The official appeared to acknowledge that the deal does not require an immediate halt to Israeli strikes, saying, “It’s very clear that the plan shows that cessation of military operations is a key element that we work to get to.” 

Mohammed Dahlan, a former top Fatah official, accused Netanyahu of “killing the opportunity” to achieve progress. 

“We had been aware since yesterday that Netanyahu would do everything in his power to kill the opportunity that President Donald Trump worked on in collaboration with Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey,” Dahlan wrote on 𝕏. 

Dahlan had previously claimed on his Facebook account that Trump advisor Jared Kushner assured him that the United States had secured an Israeli agreement to halt the strikes as part of the announced disarmament. 

“After Hamas and the Palestinian factions agreed on the 15-point document, Mr. Jared Kushner confirmed to us that he agreed with the Israeli side that it will stop the attacks on Gaza starting tomorrow morning,” Dahlan wrote on Facebook on Saturday. 

However, after Israeli strikes were reported overnight, Dahlan walked back those claims, writing, “Mr. Jared Kushner has informed us that he is working with the Israeli side to halt the attacks on Gaza,” and deleting his previous post.