Gaza Ceasefire Talks Stalled Over Demand for Tunnel Maps and Personal Weapons

Ceasefire talks between Palestinian factions and mediators in Egypt have encountered a serious obstacle after Nickolay Mladenov, the senior representative of the “Board of Peace,” demanded that not “a single bullet” remain in Gaza.

Among the maximalist demands of the Gaza oversight body chaired by US President Donald Trump are the complete disarmament of Hamas, the submission of maps detailing the group’s tunnel network, and even the collection of personal weapons from Palestinians in the strip.

Sources involved in the Cairo talks say the handover of Palestinian weapons is the main barrier to a full end to Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza.

Palestinian officials argue that the total disarmament clause effectively means Mladenov is advancing Israel’s maximalist demands.

At the heart of the current impasse is “Article 8,” a key part of the US-brokered October 2025 ceasefire plan that spells out specific terms for disarmament, management of postwar military infrastructure in Gaza, and the transfer of security responsibilities to a unified Palestinian body.

A source familiar with internal negotiations said Hamas initially showed a “very positive attitude” toward this article. For the first time, Hamas agreed to hand over its “heavy weapons arsenal,” including missiles, rockets, and Kornet anti-tank missiles the group is believed to possess.

“Mediators were naturally very pleased because for the first time Hamas discussed this matter. Previously, they never even mentioned the subject,” the source said.

A Hamas source participating in the talks provided draft versions of Article 8. Mladenov wanted Palestinian armed groups to unconditionally surrender all weapons. In contrast, Hamas and other Palestinian factions tied weapons handover to Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza.

Text proposed by the senior representative:

• A gradual, phased process to “inventory/collect” all weapons according to an agreed timeline, supervised by the senior representative, the Implementation and Verification Committee, and the International Stabilization Force (ISF).
• A Palestinian-led process through the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), involving all armed groups in inventorying infrastructure and collecting weapons.
• No requirement for any armed group to transfer weapons directly to Israel.

Final text from Hamas and Palestinian factions:

• The gradual “inventory and storage of heavy weapons” must proceed in parallel with the phased withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
• Full implementation is contingent on completion of Stage 1 of the ceasefire, with NCAG taking charge and ISF deploying and disbanding armed militias.
• Implementation of the agreement must lead to a political roadmap guaranteeing Palestinians’ right to statehood and self-determination.

When Mladenov presented the revised Palestinian text to Israel, they rejected it outright and added new demands: the complete dismantling of the Qassam Brigades’ tunnel network and the demolition of all the armed group’s facilities. When Hamas refused, Mladenov sided with Israel.

A senior Hamas official confirmed talks have not collapsed, but the demand for total disarmament is a severe test for the negotiations. “Mladenov insists that Gaza will be completely free of any kind of weapon, down to the last bullet. No faction, no family, no militia, not even an individual,” the official said.

A Palestinian source at the Cairo talks revealed that after four days of continuous meetings starting June 9, Palestinian factions agreed on June 12 to revise Article 8, proposing to inventory and store heavy weapons. Four days later, Mladenov met with Hamas representatives. Initially expressing “discomfort,” he then proposed new amendments based on his 15-point peace roadmap, including dissolving Hamas’s military capacity, “weapons storage facilities, tunnels, and workshops.” Mladenov repeated the demand to surrender all personal weapons.

The plan requires handing over rifles and weapons to NCAG. Mladenov formally submitted this document on June 17, and factions are currently reviewing it. “There will certainly be a comprehensive meeting of all forces to reach a common formula and resubmit it to Mladenov. The door is not closed,” a Palestinian source said.

The demand for comprehensive disarmament has been rejected by all Palestinian leaders, who see it as undermining the peace process. Mohammad al-Braim, a media official with the Popular Resistance Committees, said the groups have shown “unprecedented flexibility” on weapons. “We will not raise the white flag, we will not succumb to any threats, pressures, or delays,” he said.

He accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Mladenov of turning the weapons file into “a door to control everything,” stressing that any disarmament steps must be tied to a comprehensive political solution and full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. “This will not come for free,” he added.

Palestinian political analyst Saeed Ziad said the factions’ initial proposal was merely “reorganizing resistance weapons,” consistent with Hamas’s earlier statements that weapons would no longer appear on Gaza’s streets. “There is no discussion of disarmament or dissolving military organizations unless a fully unified Palestinian state is established,” Ziad said.

He accused Mladenov of abandoning neutrality and acting as “Netanyahu’s employee.” Israel has yet to fulfill any commitments under Stage 1 of the October ceasefire agreement, instead expanding its military presence. More than a thousand Palestinians are believed to have been killed since the ceasefire was proposed.

Responding to requests for comment, a Board of Peace official rejected the criticism and defended Mladenov’s efforts. “Allegations that the senior representative is advancing any party’s views are inaccurate,” the official said. “The framework is a product of broad engagement between parties and mediators—Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey.”

The official stressed that the roadmap “should not be understood as a proposal from any individual or organization” and that Mladenov’s role is to “narrow differences.” On Palestinian concerns, the official said talks do not focus “on any single clause or security measure” but are part of a comprehensive package based on a reciprocal approach.”