The pilot project in the northern Gaza Strip and soldiers from Uganda: the new outline to be presented to Netanyahu

A senior diplomatic delegation will arrive tomorrow (Monday) in Israel in an attempt to restart contacts with Hamas. Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, envoy Jared Kushner, and Peace Council CEO Nickolay Mladenov will meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with the goal of proposing an implementation outline for the 15-point agreement, while addressing Israeli demands on the matter.

According to diplomatic sources familiar with the talks, the emerging outline was already raised at a meeting the three held with senior Hamas officials in El Alamein, Egypt. At the meeting, which was also attended by Egyptian intelligence chief Hassan Rashad and representatives from Turkey, the Peace Council leaders raised the main principles.

The outline includes the beginning of the transfer of civil powers to a technocratic council and the preparation of infrastructure for the surrender of Hamas's weapons. Alongside this, the rehabilitation of areas not under Hamas control or those located on the "yellow line" is planned, mainly in the Rafah area and the northern Gaza Strip. These areas will serve as "pilot zones," similar to the agreement model with Lebanon. Temporary camps for displaced persons from the Strip will be established there, and organized services, education, health, and civil infrastructure will be provided — without any connection to Hamas.

In addition, the outline speaks of the deployment within weeks of a vanguard unit from the International Security Force (ISF) into these pilot zones. The issue is expected to come up in the meeting with Netanyahu, after Israel has already expressed principled agreement to the move, but the operational details on the ground and the powers of the force have not yet been agreed upon. In the first stage, it involves soldiers from Uganda and Kosovo, and later soldiers from Morocco will also be integrated. The outline also includes a renewal of the ceasefire under the previous conditions, which allow the IDF to fire at an emerging threat and protect the soldiers deployed along the yellow line in the Strip.

Hamas demands and agreement violations

During the meeting in Egypt, the Peace Council members presented information received from Israel about Hamas's violations of the Trump plan, including the rebuilding of its forces and their arming. Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya reiterated his demand that Israel stop offensive operations against his men and claimed that if these continue, the organization will not be able to fulfill its part of the agreement and his men must be left with the ability to defend themselves. Just today, it should be recalled, IDF forces attacked twice and eliminated two terrorists in Khan Yunis and Nuseirat.

The response of the Peace Council team was clear: promoting the outline is what will bring about the cessation of offensive operations. Hamas officials for their part did not reject the outline but conditioned further progress on the cessation of targeted killings, the entry of heavy equipment for clearing rubble, and the opening of the Rafah crossing in accordance with the agreement.

Tomorrow, the Peace Council team will be required to present the outline and Hamas's responses to Netanyahu and will attempt to reach agreements on cautious progress in accordance with developments on the ground.

"Giving the process another chance"

It should be recalled that Prime Minister Netanyahu previously publicly rejected the 15-point plan. However, in practice, the IDF implemented the conditions set for Israel, positioned itself on the agreed yellow line, and stopped offensive operations against Hamas for a week. On the other hand, the terrorist organization did not fulfill its obligations and continued planning operations against IDF soldiers, including attempts to plant explosive devices, setting up sniper ambushes, and infiltrating areas. Just yesterday, an IDF tank ran over such a device, in an incident that ended without casualties.

According to one of the diplomatic sources, the team's intention tomorrow is to give another opportunity to promote the outline, following Hamas's principled agreement to surrender its weapons. "If the process begins, we will be able to check whether Hamas intends to implement the agreement, or as they think in Israel, will evade it," the source explained. "The principles are clear, Hamas must completely disarm and hand over governing powers, and the Council is committed to this. Israel for its part must meet the conditions it agreed to in the Trump plan, while fully maintaining its security."