Two Gaza working groups established: Reconstruction tied to disarmament

Two joint working groups have been established following meetings between US envoy Jared Kushner and officials of the Peace Council with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, aiming to advance President Donald Trump's Gaza peace plan.

The first group is tasked with disarming and demilitarizing Gaza, while the second focuses on humanitarian efforts, including sanitation, clean water, and health issues. Kushner stated that Gaza's reconstruction will not be permitted to proceed until the demilitarization process of the territory is completed.

These groups aim to overcome the current deadlock and advance Phase Two of Trump's 15-point peace plan, which Netanyahu rejected because he wants Hamas disarmed before Israel withdraws from the Palestinian territory.

Peace Council head Nickolay Mladenov, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, and US Ambassador Mike Huckabee also attended the meeting with Netanyahu. On the Israeli side, Shin Bet Director David Zini and Military Intelligence Directorate chief Shlomi Binder were present.

Disarmament and security

The first working group focuses entirely on security and the complete demilitarization of Gaza. Its mission is to collect and permanently eliminate all types of weapons, both light and heavy, along with dismantling the tunnel network.

Kushner estimated that "starting to take some weapons out" and filling the tunnels could take place "within the next 60 to 90 days." Notably, weapons handed over by Palestinian factions will not be transferred to the new Palestinian technocratic government (NCAG), but directly to the US-led International Stabilization Force (ISF), with full responsibility for destruction resting with US General Jasper Jeffers.

Political analyst Wesam Afifa noted that handing weapons directly to the US military under Israeli occupation would cause "serious sensitivity" for Hamas and other factions, as the mechanism "looks like a disarmament process under direct US military supervision, not a balanced political solution between Palestine and the international community."

Political analyst Eyad al-Qarra in Gaza agreed, noting that transferring control of weapons to General Jeffers instead of the NCAG is "not part of the agreement."

Sanitation and ambiguity

The second working group is tasked with addressing basic humanitarian needs, sanitation, clean water, and public health for Gaza's population, following serious warnings about the risk of disease outbreaks. The mission also includes assessing the impact of these environmental and health issues on Israel.

Afifa believes Israel's motivation here is "not entirely humanitarian" but stems from "direct security and health interests in preventing the collapse of the sanitation system and the spread of disease near Israeli forces and the areas surrounding Gaza." Al-Qarra warned that breaking the crisis into sub-groups prioritizing sanitation would turn a comprehensive political issue into a localized urban crisis.

However, the composition, leadership, and operational mechanism of this humanitarian group remain very unclear. A senior Israeli official admitted he could not provide further details on the composition, exact role, or progress of establishing the groups.

Reconstruction frozen

Both the US and Israel have made clear that there will be no broader recovery until the security group completes its mission. Kushner issued an ultimatum to Hamas: "We will not allow Gaza to be rebuilt until demilitarization is complete."

Afifa stressed that this sequencing completely contradicts the original roadmap, which was based on "synchronization and gradual steps," where disarming a specific area was accompanied by a simultaneous Israeli troop withdrawal. Israeli forces still occupy over 60% of Gaza's territory, creating what is called the new "Golden Road."

Ibrahim Fraihat, associate professor of international conflict resolution at the Doha Institute, said this linkage amounts to "trading and exploiting the suffering of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip by pressuring them to hand over weapons before the reconstruction process begins."

Meanwhile, Kushner made clear that Washington will "not restrict Israel's right to self-defense if there are any imminent threats," providing diplomatic cover for continued military operations. Israel has killed more than 1,200 Palestinians since signing the ceasefire with Hamas in October 2025, bringing the total death toll in Israel's genocidal war on Gaza since October 2023 to 73,400 and 174,312 wounded.

Netanyahu affirmed that Israel's targeted campaigns against Hamas will continue as usual, and the military will not withdraw from the "Golden Road" until disarmament is complete. Afifa emphasized that demanding Palestinian factions hand over weapons while Israel is free to conduct daily military operations is "one of the biggest practical contradictions" in Kushner's visit.

Regional warnings

While a Peace Council official said Israelis "will give this a chance," regional mediators have expressed concern about unilaterally restructuring the roadmap. Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari on Tuesday condemned Israel's delay in implementing the ceasefire agreement, warning that Israel's rejection of the roadmap poses a high risk to regional stability.

Among Palestinian factions, Hamas has yet to issue an official response to the specific working groups, but previously affirmed that troop withdrawal must occur in parallel with disarmament. Trump had also linked disarmament phases with Israel's gradual withdrawal from Gaza in his 15-point plan.

Strategic trap

Political analysts warn that structuring the peace plan through specific working groups is a calculated move to break Palestinian governance. Al-Qarra believes Netanyahu is implementing a "yes, but" policy to strategically empty the agreement of its content, noting that unilaterally establishing these groups "completely ignores the role of mediators," excluding Qatar, Turkey, and Egypt.

Afifa described the current move as an attempt to "redesign Trump's plan" through "selective implementation," as Netanyahu only chooses terms that are politically passable ahead of Israeli elections, while deferring major issues such as troop withdrawal and comprehensive reconstruction.

Israel affairs expert Suleiman Bisharat said the establishment of these groups shows Israel aims to rebuild governance in Gaza to ensure its hegemony, reminiscent of "the concept of military rule and civil administration belonging to the Israeli occupation," and seeks to "empty and strip the power of any entity in the Gaza Strip."