Alwaght- The Israeli regime these days is seeking pretexts to terminate the Gaza ceasefire. This Israeli approach can be seen in Gaza crystal clear as violations of the truce have become a daily job of the Israeli military. Understanding this critical situation, Hamas forces have said that they remain committed to the first phase of the truce despite the recurrent Israeli violations.
In this connection, Hamas speaker Hazem Qassem said that this resistance movement is ready to implement the second phase. He also has outlined the movement’s stance on the deployment of an international force to the Gaza Strip, stating Hamas would not oppose the move provided two core conditions are met. The conditions, as stated, are the “protection of civilians from attacks by the Zionist regime” and the “guarantee of stability and calm in the Gaza Strip.”
The official emphasized that fulfilling these terms is essential to halting the ongoing humanitarian crisis and bolstering political processes aimed at cementing a ceasefire.
This declaration strategically outmaneuvers Tel Aviv on the diplomatic front. By signaling a green light for neutral international mission, Hamas has seized the initiative from Tel Aviv. The move effectively disarms Israeli arguments against a ceasefire and paves the way for Hamas to potentially engage directly with an international peace council stationed in Gaza.
Who are the members of the peace council?
Upon the implementation of the first phase of the ceasefire, the US administration announced that Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, Trump’s Special Envoy to the region Steve Witkoff, and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair make up the main body of “Peace Board” that is intended to manage Gaza post-war.
It is said that this board, chaired by Trump, will oversight a committee of 12-15 Palestinian technocrats with no affiliation with Hamas or Fatah. In the so-called peace council, Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is also present.
Tony Blair crossed off from the list
Blair has been removed from the list of candidates for a proposed Gaza Peace Board, a key component of a broader postwar plan proposed by Trump, according to a Monday report by the Financial Times.
The newspaper stated that the decision followed strong objections from several Arab and Muslim nations regarding Blair’s potential role in the structure.
Instead, it is reported that Blair is now expected to participate in a smaller executive committee within the US-backed framework for administering Gaza.
While Trump had previously singled out Blair as a member of the board describing him as a “very good man,” regional powers pointed to Blair’s central role in the 2003 Iraq war as the primary reason for his rejection. They warned that his inclusion would marginalize Palestinians within the new framework.
Reacting to Blair’s removal, Taher al-Nono, a senior Hamas official, told Al Jazeera that if confirmed, the move would be “a step in the right direction.” He added, “We asked the mediating parties to exclude Blair from the Gaza peace council because he is strongly biased in favor of the occupiers. We are now ready for a long-term peace, provided the occupiers commit to the ceasefire agreement.”
Hamas still in power and control
Though Hamas has said that it will cooperate with the international board in Gaza conditionally, it still strongly rejects the disarming as an Israeli condition for withdrawal from the coastal enclave.
On the other hand, New York Times, citing a former official of the Israeli Shin Bet, reported that despite the official claims, Hamas has not lost the war in Gaza and is still acting as an organized and active structure. The security official added that Hamas had significantly kept its combat power standing and its forces are estimated at around 20,000.
Kushner seeking personal interests
Kushner, a name floated for the so-called Gaza Peace Board currently holds no official role in the American administration. Since serving as a senior advisor in the first Trump White House, the 44-year-old businessman has pursued extensive commercial interests in West Asia, amassing significant personal wealth.
Kushner now spearheads efforts to plan what are being termed “alternative safe communities.” The plan centers on constructing temporary yet functional villages in an area currently referred to as the “Green Zone”, land in eastern and southern Gaza under the control of the Israeli military, intended to encourage Palestinians to leave the Hamas-controlled western part of the territory.
In a report, The Telegraph stated that Kushner’s postwar plans for Gaza are largely focused on the redevelopment of this Green Zone, where virtually no Gazans currently live.
A European official involved in the process told the newspaper: “All the focus right now is on the Green Zone. No one knows how Hamas is actually supposed to be removed from the western sector.”
Though the Israeli officials have agreed to the 20-point Gaza ceasefire and have supported it, in secret they believe that in 2026 they should resume the war and finally defeat Hamas. So, it seems that current Trump plan has no chance of conclusion in favor of peace.
