Hamas disarmament dispute could derail Gaza peace roadmap: Analysis

By Al Jazeera English

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he has disagreements with Donald Trump over last week's Board of Peace agreements aimed at stabilising Gaza. The Board of Peace has since clarified that the full withdrawal of Israeli forces "beyond the yellow line" will only take place once Hamas decommissioning is complete—applying to "light weapons, heavy weapons, and the tunnels alike." In an interview with Al Jazeera, Chatham House senior consulting fellow Yossi Mekelberg said this represents a change in sequencing from the original roadmap, warning that it could lead to the collapse of the deal. Mekelberg said the original roadmap distinguished between heavy weapons and light weapons, but the new language demands full disarmament before withdrawal—something Hamas is unlikely to accept without Israeli withdrawal. He suggested a phased approach with pilot areas, similar to Lebanon, could be a way forward. He also noted that from Israel's perspective, light weapons are actually seen

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