Nickolay Mladenov, the senior diplomat monitoring the US-brokered 'ceasefire' deal in Gaza under President Donald Trump's International Peace Council, said on May 14 that he could envision a political role for Hamas in post-war Gaza if the Palestinian group disarms.
'We are not asking for Hamas to disappear as a political movement,' Mladenov told reporters at a rare press conference in Jerusalem.
He said the phased ceasefire deal is stalled because Hamas has not disarmed, calling the issue 'non-negotiable.' Disarmament remains the key obstacle blocking progress on other fronts, while Hamas blames Israel for continued violations of the ceasefire.
The first phase of the deal saw the release of the last hostages captured in southern Israel in October 2023 in exchange for Palestinians held by Israel. The second phase was expected to involve Hamas handing over weapons, Israeli forces withdrawing, and reconstruction of devastated areas of the coastal enclave after more than two years of war.
Seven months since the 'ceasefire' took effect on October 10, 2025, Israeli forces have killed at least 856 Palestinians and control more than 50% of the Gaza Strip. Humanitarian groups say Israel has not allowed the amount of aid it promised into Gaza, while Hamas refuses to give up its arsenal.
'The only way we believe we can guarantee the withdrawal of Israeli forces to the periphery is if we have all the elements of the plan underway in Gaza,' Mladenov said.
Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem responded to Mladenov by saying he should 'identify the party violating the ceasefire.' 'Pressure must be applied on the occupation to implement what was stated in the first phase and enter into discussions on the second phase,' Qassem said, adding that more than 850 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the 'ceasefire' took effect. 'Hamas has responded positively to proposals put forward by mediators to achieve reasonable and logical approaches,' he said in a statement.
The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), which tracks Israeli attacks on Gaza, said in a May 13 report that Israel conducted 35% more attacks in April compared to March. ACLED added that Israel shifted its firepower toward the devastated Palestinian territory in the five weeks since it stopped joint bombing with the US on Iran.
According to the Gaza Health Ministry, 120 Palestinians, including 8 women and 13 children, have been killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza since the ceasefire deal with Iran on April 8. A United Nations investigation last year concluded that Israel's war in Gaza was a genocide as Israeli soldiers 'intentionally killed' civilians.
