Nikolay Mladenov, the high representative for Gaza, met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Monday to discuss a postwar disarmament agreement reached with Hamas. Mladenov pressed for an immediate halt to Israeli airstrikes as international mediators denounced recent attacks on healthcare facilities.
High Representative Nikolay Mladenov Meets Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem
The diplomatic push to stabilize Gaza’s postwar transition entered a critical phase on Monday when Nikolay Mladenov held constructive and detailed talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem. Mladenov, serving as the high representative for Gaza under the Board of Peace, traveled with senior adviser Aryeh Lightstone to press Israeli leadership on the newly brokered disarmament framework.
The Board of Peace stated that the goal is clear and is not in question, focusing on the complete decommissioning of weapons in the Strip and a transition away from rule by the gun to civilian governance.
According to two people familiar with the closed-door discussions, Mladenov also pressed Netanyahu to halt ongoing military operations in the embattled enclave while the transition plan advances.
Ceasefire Realities and Hamas Stance Amid Ongoing Strikes
The high-level meetings follow President Donald Trump’s announcement on Thursday regarding the disarmament pact, which is part of a broader ceasefire deal reached last year. That October agreement ended major fighting in the Israel-Hamas war, a conflict triggered by the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas-led militants that killed around 1,200 people and resulted in 251 hostages taken into Gaza.
Since that October truce, Israeli attacks have killed 1,250 people. Netanyahu’s government raised serious security concerns
regarding the mechanics of the disarmament text, sharing those apprehensions directly with Washington. Following the release of the agreement, the military ramped up strikes, killing 17 people overnight Saturday and into Sunday, according to local health officials. No airstrikes were reported on Monday.
Meanwhile, Hamas released a statement on Monday confirming that the group and various Palestinian factions remain committed to what was agreed regarding the implementation of the second phase of the ceasefire agreement, including all parties’ obligations, while noting they were awaiting a clear and official response from Mladenov and international mediators regarding what was agreed upon.
International Mediation and Washington Briefings
Outside the ground talks in Jerusalem, international pressure mounted as regional mediators—including Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey—issued a joint condemnation of the recent escalation. The mediators declared that the particular targeting of healthcare facilities and medical infrastructure, alongside resulting civilian casualties, constitutes a flagrant violation of international law and international humanitarian law.
Simultaneously, members of the Board of Peace traveled to Washington on Monday to meet with U.S. congressional staff. The delegation detailed ongoing diplomatic efforts to advance peace, security, governance, and reconstruction in Gaza.
According to the Gaza Health Ministry, Israel’s military offensive since the war began has killed 73,375 people. While those figures do not differentiate between civilian casualties and combatants, the United Nations and other international organizations regard the data as generally reliable.
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