Trump's Peace Council accused Hamas of derailing the new phase of the ceasefire

The “Peace Council,” established by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, blamed the Hamas group for the collapse of the next phase of the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip in its first report to the UN Security Council. The document notes that Hamas’s stance was the main obstacle to moving to the second phase of the agreements.

This was reported by Al Arabiya.

The document notes that currently, it is Hamas’s refusal to agree to controlled disarmament, the loss of military and political influence, and the transfer of power to a civilian administration that is complicating the further implementation of the peace agreements.

“At this stage, the main obstacle to the full implementation of the agreement remains Hamas’s refusal to agree to a verified withdrawal of weapons, the relinquishment of coercive control, and a genuine civilian transition in Gaza,” the report states.

The document was prepared as part of an initiative that Donald Trump launched in January to coordinate the cessation of hostilities in Gaza and the region’s post-war reconstruction following the conflict between Israel and Hamas. Nikolay Mladenov, the “Peace Council’s” special representative, is expected to present the report to the UN Security Council in the near future.

The report emphasizes that all the key mechanisms for further steps are already in place, but the progress of the process depends on the decisions of the parties to the conflict.

Despite the ceasefire agreed upon back in October with the mediation of the U.S., Qatar, and Egypt, hostilities continue in the Gaza Strip. The report’s authors note that ceasefire violations occur almost daily, and their consequences continue to affect the civilian population and the humanitarian situation.

The first phase of the agreements called for the exchange of hostages and detainees. The next phase was to include the gradual withdrawal of Israeli troops, the disarmament of Hamas, and the establishment of an international stabilization mission.

However, implementation of the second phase has effectively stalled. The document emphasizes that without dismantling Hamas’s military infrastructure, it is impossible to begin a full-scale reconstruction of Gaza, ensure a gradual reduction of the Israeli military presence, and move toward creating conditions for Palestinian self-determination.

Meanwhile, the Israeli army continues to control a significant portion of the Gaza Strip, and international attention has largely shifted in recent weeks to the situation surrounding Iran and the Strait of Hormuz.