Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and the Board of Peace have agreed to establish working groups focused on Gaza’s disarmament, demilitarisation, sanitation, clean water and public health, with disarmament efforts expected to precede reconstruction under a proposed internationally backed peace framework involving Hamas.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Board of Peace have agreed to establish two working groups focusing on the disarmament and demilitarisation of Gaza, as well as sanitation, clean water and other public health concerns, according to the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office.
The announcement came after what the Prime Minister’s Office described as “deep and constructive discussions” between Netanyahu and representatives of the Board of Peace. The proposed working groups are expected to address key security and humanitarian challenges facing Gaza as part of a broader framework for the territory’s future.
According to the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office, the first working group will concentrate on the disarmament and demilitarisation of Gaza. Israel and the Board of Peace have agreed that the process should be carried out promptly and completed before any reconstruction efforts begin in the territory.
The second working group will focus on sanitation, access to clean water and other public health issues affecting Palestinians in Gaza. Israeli officials said these issues also have implications for the people of Israel, highlighting the wider regional impact of Gaza’s humanitarian and infrastructure conditions.
The latest development follows Netanyahu’s earlier insistence that Israel would not withdraw its forces from their current positions in Gaza until Hamas is fully disarmed. On August 5, Netanyahu said the Israel Defense Forces would take necessary measures to protect Israeli soldiers, Israeli territory and civilians.
The issue of Hamas’s disarmament has also emerged as a central element of a broader Gaza peace initiative associated with US President Donald Trump. Trump has said the so-called Board of Peace had pursued the “complete disarmament” of Hamas and other armed groups operating in Gaza.
Netanyahu, however, has indicated that Israel has not accepted the draft proposal presented by the White House. He said the document was sent to Israel, but Israeli officials responded with their own comments rather than agreeing to the draft as presented.
The proposed disarmament framework comes alongside discussions about a possible new governing structure for Gaza. According to senior administration officials, Hamas has agreed to relinquish both its civilian and military governing roles under an internationally backed roadmap.
The proposed framework would establish a transitional Palestinian administration to oversee Gaza during a phased peace process. Under the plan, a National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, described as an independent Palestinian body, would assume responsibility for civilian administration and internal security during the transitional period.
Senior US administration officials have described the development as a significant shift because it would represent an international framework under which Hamas gives up its governing role while allowing a new Palestinian authority to administer Gaza.
The proposed working groups on disarmament, demilitarisation and public health therefore form part of a wider effort to address both Gaza’s security arrangements and humanitarian needs. The sequencing of the process remains significant, with Israel and the Board of Peace placing disarmament and demilitarisation ahead of reconstruction.
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The initiative now faces the challenge of translating the proposed framework into concrete measures on the ground. Questions surrounding Hamas’s disarmament, Israeli military positions, transitional governance and the delivery of essential public services are expected to remain central to discussions over Gaza’s future.
