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Gaza Peace Board High Representative Nikolay Mladenov said Israel would withdraw gradually from areas it occupies in the Gaza Strip if Hamas fully disarms, outlining conditions under a 15-point roadmap for the second phase of the ceasefire.
Mladenov spoke to Israel's Channel 12 after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that he rejected the plan presented by the Gaza Peace Board.
"The roadmap aims to guarantee that the Gaza Strip will never again pose a threat to Israel's security," Mladenov said.
He said the plan rests on three main elements: the complete demilitarization of Gaza, the transfer of administrative responsibility for the enclave to the Peace Board through a national committee, and the deployment of an international security force to oversee implementation of the agreement.
The roadmap announced by the Peace Board on July 31 calls for Hamas' disarmament and Israel's gradual withdrawal from Gaza to take place simultaneously.
Mladenov, however, said Israel would not be required to withdraw before concrete steps toward disarmament were implemented on the ground.
"If actual disarmament takes place, weapons are taken from the groups, stored and eventually rendered unusable, then yes, Israel will withdraw from Gaza," he said.
Mladenov said the withdrawal would take place area by area, with Israeli forces gradually pulling back after the disarmament process is completed in each zone.
He added that the plan would not prevent Israel from responding to any "immediate threat" against its forces.
Mladenov said demilitarization would cover "all weapons," including heavy and light arms, tunnels, weapons production facilities and weapons held by armed groups other than Hamas.
"If the agreed obligations are not fulfilled or Hamas elements continue training and rearming, the process will be halted and there will be no move to the next phase," he said.
Mladenov said Türkiye, Qatar and Egypt played a "decisive" role in Hamas approving the new roadmap.
He also said Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, other Gulf countries and Morocco supported the plan.
Netanyahu said a day earlier that Israel rejected the Peace Board's 15-point proposal for implementing the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire.
Mladenov had previously announced that Hamas accepted a detailed roadmap for implementing the second stage of the ceasefire agreement.
U.S. President Donald Trump also said the Peace Board had reached an agreement with Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza on laying down their weapons.
Hamas said it and other Palestinian groups had responded positively to the negotiation process and proposals submitted by mediators for completing the second phase.
The group said stopping Israeli attacks and establishing a timetable for the agreed measures were fundamental conditions. Hamas also stressed that implementation of the second phase depended on Israel fully meeting its obligations under the first phase.
The Gaza Administration National Committee said it had completed its institutional and operational preparations to take over administration of the Gaza Strip.
The first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement took effect on Oct. 10, 2025, providing for a prisoner exchange and increased humanitarian aid deliveries.
Despite the ceasefire, Israeli attacks and restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid continued.
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