Gaza Board of Peace team to conduct survey for locations for Hamas to surrender weapons

The Israeli government has authorized an American team affiliated with the Board of Peace to enter the Gaza Strip in the coming days as part of an operation to map out sites where Hamas could deposit weapons as part of a disarmament plan, public broadcaster Kan News reported earlier this week. 

According to the Kan report, the American team will enter the southern Gaza Strip within the Yellow Line areas of Rafah and Khan Yunis under IDF control to locate sites for potential compounds that would allow the safe arrival of armed Gazans to deposit the weapons while under IDF surveillance.  

This would allow U.S. President Donald Trump's 20-point peace plan to proceed, after months of almost no progress. 

The Board of Peace is expecting to transition to significant reconstruction following the Israeli and U.S. elections, Britain’s The Telegraph reported, citing “well-placed” sources. 

“It’s not like we’re not moving. There is movement. There’s a lot going on, but maybe nothing that can be seen from the outside as ‘major movement’ before the elections,” a source was quoted as saying. 

That report assessed that the disarmament of Hamas and the establishment of new security arrangements after the disarmament are two of the outstanding issues preventing reconstruction. 

According to Walla News, Israeli defense officials have expressed concern about the American push for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip in order to realize “Day After.” These officials assess there is a significant gap between Hamas’ continued attempts to rehabilitate its terror infrastructure and the U.S. desire to start reconstruction efforts. 

However, in a statement marking the one-year anniversary of the Trump peace plan, released Tuesday, the U.S. Department of State offered a measured assessment of the situation. 

Noting several successes, such as the release of the hostages, the increased aid into the Gaza Strip, and the cessation of active fighting, the State Department acknowledged, “Rebuilding Gaza will be an arduous, multi-year process, and implementation will be difficult.” 

“But we are making real progress toward a demilitarized Gaza, where Palestinians can live without Hamas rule and Israel can have genuine and lasting security,” the statement concluded. 

As part of the terms of the agreement, Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip is contingent on the disarmament of Hamas, which has previously stated that it would be willing to hand over weapons to a third party. 

Hamas has reportedly demanded that this third party store the weapons within the Strip, a term which Israel is unwilling to accept. 

“Two months ago, Hamas was still attempting to project a false impression of willingness to disarm; today, they are not even doing that, and are instead focusing their efforts on preparing to resume fighting,” one security official told Walla News. 

IDF officials believe the situation in the Gaza Strip is facing potential escalation, as Hamas's military wing attempts to reconstitute itself, including recruitment and training efforts. 

Hamas operatives continue to engage in friction activities with the IDF along the “Yellow Line,” the officials told Walla. 

At the same time, the IDF and the Shin Bet continue to conduct an average of two to three targeted killings daily against Hamas commanders and terrorists in the Gaza Strip, including against individuals involved in the Oct. 7 attacks. 

A senior security source told Kan News that Washington is exerting heavy pressure on Israel to move forward with the peace plan, despite its reservations. Although Hamas has told U.S. officials that it intends to surrender its weapons, Israeli officials assess that in reality, Hamas is working to restore its power in the area it controls. 

Security officials have recommended opposing any reconstruction efforts until Hamas is effectively disarmed and the Gaza Strip is cleared of terror infrastructure, weaponry and terrorists.