Hamas is the main obstacle to the transition to the second phase of the ceasefire in Gaza, according to the first report of the Peace Board, created by US President Donald Trump.
In the report to be presented to the United Nations Security Council today, the group assesses that repeated ceasefire violations are continuing and are hindering the full implementation of the agreement.
"At this stage, the main obstacle to full implementation remains Hamas's refusal to accept verified disarmament, relinquish coercive control, and allow a genuine civilian transition in Gaza," the report said.
The initiative's high representative for Gaza, Nickolay Mladenov, is expected to present the document to the Security Council.
According to the report, "institutions, resources and plans are already in place to take the next steps," but their manner and sequencing will depend on the decisions the parties will make now.
Although a ceasefire came into effect in October, Gaza continues to face daily violence. Israeli attacks continue, while both the Israeli military and Hamas accuse each other of violating the ceasefire agreement.
The report highlights that violations occur almost daily and that their humanitarian consequences are severe, with civilians killed, families living in fear and ongoing obstacles to humanitarian access.
The Trump administration, along with Qatar and Egypt, brokered the ceasefire with the aim of ending two years of devastating war in Gaza.
In January, Washington announced the start of the second phase of the peace plan, which envisages the disarmament of Hamas, the organization that carried out the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, an event that led to the massive Israeli offensive in Gaza.
The plan also includes the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces and the deployment of an international stabilization force.
The first phase of the ceasefire enabled the release of the last hostages captured during the October 2023 attacks, in exchange for Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.
However, the move to the second phase, which involves the disarmament of Hamas and the gradual withdrawal of the Israeli army, which still controls more than 50 percent of Gaza territory, has remained stalled for weeks, while international attention has focused on tensions with Iran and the situation in the Strait of Hormuz.
The report underlines that the disarmament of Hamas is essential to begin the reconstruction of Gaza, to enable a withdrawal of Israeli forces within a defined timeframe, and to create a credible path towards Palestinian self-determination and statehood.
