Despite U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement of a peace plan for Gaza that includes the disarmament of Hamas and a phased withdrawal of Israeli forces, the ongoing airstrikes by Israel have raised doubts about the feasibility of the agreement. Disagreements persist over which action should be implemented first: the disarmament of Hamas or the withdrawal of Israeli troops.
According to reports from Bloomberg and other sources, the Gaza Health Ministry stated that 19 people were killed during Israeli airstrikes on August 1 and 2.
Nikolai Mladenov, the senior representative of the Peace Committee for Gaza, noted on social media platform X that “the airstrikes over two days across Gaza have resulted in civilian casualties and the destruction of medical supplies that residents rely on.”
On August 3, Israeli forces targeted vehicles in western Gaza City, killing two Palestinians and injuring several others. The Israeli military stated that the attack was aimed at two armed militants in the vehicle.
Since a ceasefire took effect in October of last year, Israeli attacks have continued in Gaza. The Gaza Health Ministry reported that 152 Palestinians were killed last month, marking the highest monthly death toll this year.
Earlier, President Trump announced on July 30 that the Peace Committee and Hamas had reached an agreement on disarmament and the phased withdrawal of Israeli forces. The agreement includes provisions for Israel to cease military operations in Gaza and establish a new Palestinian administrative and security framework.
Hamas has expressed its willingness to implement the agreed terms. However, the Israeli government has raised serious security concerns regarding the publicly disclosed agreement, stating that Hamas must fully disarm before any troop withdrawal can occur.
The Peace Committee also stated that Israeli forces would only withdraw beyond the current deployment line, known as the “Yellow Line,” after Hamas has completed its disarmament. This aligns with Israel's demand that disarmament must precede troop withdrawal.
On the same day, Mladenov met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss Hamas disarmament and governance in Gaza, urging a halt to the airstrikes. The Peace Committee described the meeting as “constructive and detailed,” but did not disclose any additional agreements.
Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, acting as mediators for the ceasefire, issued a joint statement condemning Israel for violating the ceasefire agreement and called for an end to the airstrikes and adherence to the agreement.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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