The head of the Boar of Peace for Gaza, Nikolay Mladenov, said negotiations on a plan to disarm Hamas and stabilise the Gaza Strip remain difficult but are gradually advancing.
Speaking in an interview with Reuters, he noted that very serious negotiations with Hamas have taken place in recent weeks, though the process remains highly challenging and will take time.
“I'm fairly optimistic that we will be able to come up with an arrangement that works for all sides and, most importantly, works for the people in Gaza,” Mladenov said.
The proposed plan includes the disarmament of armed groups, the formation of a new administrative authority in the enclave, and conditions for the withdrawal of Israeli forces.
Security arrangements and expanded humanitarian access are also under discussion, including operations at the Rafah crossing.
Mladenov stressed that the coming days — or at most the next few weeks — will be decisive: without tangible progress, the current momentum in negotiations could be lost.
One of the issues under discussion was the “yellow line” demarcating the territory Israel has occupied since the October ceasefire, he said. Reuters has reported that Israel has pushed the “yellow line” further into Gaza.
“There's a whole set of issues that need to be handled on the ground, including the yellow line," Mladenov noted, adding that matters such as access for aid and medicine are also under discussion with Israel.
By Jeyhun Aghazada
