Hamas agrees to surrender arms, cede Gaza governance: Mladenov

Nikolay Mladenov, the Gaza Peace Board's high representative, announced on Wednesday that Hamas and other armed factions have agreed for the first time to surrender their weapons and transfer full civilian and security authority to a transitional administration recognized by the United Nations. Speaking at a UN Security Council briefing on the implementation of the US-backed Gaza peace plan, Mladenov described the development as a potential turning point in efforts to end the war that has devastated the besieged territory since October 2023.

"For the first time, Hamas and the armed factions in Gaza have agreed to hand over their weapons and to transfer full governing authority — civilian and security — to a transitional administration recognized by the United Nations," Mladenov said, according to statements posted by the board on social media. He noted that the move could "dramatically improve life in a sustainable way for Palestinians in Gaza; to provide durable security for Israelis."

Comprehensive disarmament terms

The Board of Peace unveiled a 15-point roadmap in late July calling for the complete disarmament of armed factions, the transfer of Gaza's administration to a National Committee, and a phased Israeli withdrawal. Mladenov emphasized that the plan mandates the removal of "every category of weapon in Gaza. There is no grey zone and no category left out," including heavy weapons, production facilities, arms depots, tunnels, and personal firearms.

Under the proposed framework, the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG) would become the sole body authorized to possess or control weapons. "Withdrawal follows verified decommissioning and proceeds in phases. It is sequenced and reciprocal. Each step rests on the successful completion of the one before it," Mladenov stated, adding that progress would be "performance-based, not calendar-based" and guided by the principle of "trust nothing and verify everything."

Israel demands disarmament first

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected the phased approach, insisting that Hamas must be fully disarmed before any Israeli withdrawal or reconstruction begins. Netanyahu discussed the plan with Mladenov and US envoy Jared Kushner on August 17 amid ongoing disputes over sequencing, with Hamas demanding reciprocal steps while Israel maintains its hardline position ahead of elections scheduled for October 27.

Far-right coalition ministers, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, have attacked the roadmap and opposed concessions. The disagreement persists amid daily Israeli attacks on Gaza that continue to kill Palestinians and destroy homes despite a ceasefire that nominally took effect last October, with Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz threatening further escalation after Palestinian children's kites reached Israeli areas near the enclave on Sunday.

Transitional administration structure

Mladenov stressed that Gaza's crisis extends beyond security and humanitarian concerns to encompass political governance, noting that the National Committee comprises independent Palestinian professionals tasked with restoring effective administration during the transition. Established in January under Palestinian Authority official Ali Shaath, the NCAG was endorsed by UN Security Council Resolution 2803 last November, which backed the framework for a technocratic Palestinian administration supported by an interim international stabilization force.

The success of the transition will ultimately be judged by whether Palestinians experience improved security and services, Mladenov said. Since Israel launched its war on the Gaza Strip in October 2023, more than 73,000 Palestinians have been killed and over 174,000 injured, according to Palestinian figures.