The Director-General of the “Peace Council” in Gaza, Nikolai Mladenov, came out with an unusual letter in Hebrew, in which he categorically denied the existence of any financial agreement between the Council and Hamas, stressing that the movement will not receive funds and will not have a role in managing the Strip, in parallel with the revelation that a mechanism has begun operating to monitor violations of the agreement in Gaza, at a time when the “Day After” plan is still facing major delays at the security and civil levels.
According to a report by journalists Keren Bezalel and Spir Lipkin on the Israeli “N12” website, Mladenov wrote for the first time a post in Hebrew in which he said: “The allegations regarding the existence of a financial agreement between the Peace Council and Hamas are false.”
Mladenov stressed that any arrangement of this kind “has not been discussed, has not been discussed, and will not be on the table in the future,” stressing that Hamas will not be able to access the Council’s funds, and that the funds will not pass through the movement, while all contracts and payments will be subject to auditing, approvals, and oversight.
He also made it clear that Hamas will not be part of the civil administration of the Gaza Strip.
Mladenov also confirmed what “News 12” had published two days ago in its central bulletin, stating that the Peace Council had begun operating a mechanism to examine violations of the agreement in the Gaza Strip.
He said: “In recent days, a mechanism to monitor violations has begun to operate. Every violation that is verified will be addressed.”
According to the report, the Israeli army monitors Hamas’ continued violation of the ceasefire, while reports on what is happening on the ground are transmitted to the Peace Council. The new mechanism began its work with the aim of identifying the party that does not adhere to the terms of the agreement.
Peace Council officials had made clear that if Hamas did not adhere to its pledges, the Council would not prevent Israel from responding.
They said: “We hope that Hamas will adhere to what it pledged, but we are not naive either, and no one will stand in Israel’s way if Hamas violates the understanding and tries to rebuild its strength or return to military activity.”
They added: “We ask to give an opportunity to the disarmament process, not to provide immunity for armed activity.”
Mladenov indicated that the talks with Israel are still ongoing, explaining that the “road map” constitutes a framework for an arrangement between the Peace Council and Hamas, in parallel with the ongoing discussions with Israel.
Regarding the steps required of Israel, Mladenov said: “Israel is not required to rely on trust or take irreversible steps before implementing steps that can be verified on the ground.”
He added that the goal remains “a complete dismantling of weapons, and to ensure that Gaza never returns to posing a threat of the kind that Israel experienced on October 7.”
At the conclusion of his message, Mladenov presented the Peace Council’s plan as an alternative to two scenarios: the first is Hamas remaining in power and rebuilding its military capabilities, and the second is Israel’s return to control over the entire population of the Gaza Strip.
He said that the alternative proposed by the Council is based on “complete disarmament, civil administration, an international security presence under American leadership, and mechanisms for oversight and verification.”
In parallel, the report referred to an unusual statement issued by the Israeli army spokeswoman in Arabic, linking for the first time publicly and directly between the ceasefire in Gaza and the escalation of Hamas activity against residents and opponents.
According to the Israeli army, since the ceasefire entered into force in October 2025, it and the Shin Bet have monitored an increase in interrogation and torture operations carried out by Hamas against civilians, with the use of public facilities, including schools, hospitals, mosques, and government institutions.
On the other hand, although the Israeli army’s attacks in the Gaza Strip have stopped, the 15-point plan that is supposed to determine the shape of the “next day” is still far from being implemented.
“N12” learned that the multinational force is not expected to begin entering the Gaza Strip before October, with the possibility that it will not enter until after the elections, while the Shin Bet is working in parallel to train the militias that failed previously, in preparation for using them as a force operating in what is known as “Green Rafah.”
The formation of the multinational force is one of the most prominent indicators of the delay in implementing the Peace Council plan.
According to the proposed plan, Morocco is expected to send about 500 soldiers, while Kosovo and Albania are expected to contribute only dozens of soldiers. In Israel, there is an assessment that this force will not enter Gaza anytime soon.
Also, the plan to establish “Green Rafah,” which is supposed to constitute one of the main pillars of the project in the area under the control of the Israeli army within the borders of the “Yellow Line,” is still far from implementation.
The UAE is working to push towards establishing a new neighborhood in eastern Rafah, after approval was recently issued to begin preparing the land and infrastructure.
However, these works are expected to last about 6 months, while estimates indicate that the placement of caravans and prefabricated facilities in the area will not begin before November 2026, that is, after the elections.
In parallel, the Shin Bet seeks to involve local militia leaders in the Gaza Strip within this plan, to work in the area that is supposed to turn into a “Hamas-free zone.”
However, the report pointed to a fundamental paradox, as the model that was intended to be relied upon had been tested previously without succeeding in forming an actual alternative to Hamas rule.
Yasser Abu Shabab, who was seen as one of the central figures in this process, was killed along with other activists, while the militias that remain have so far been unable to prove their ability to impose effective control on the ground.
The civilian component of the plan is also still stalled, as estimates indicate that the entry of the Palestinian Technocratic Committee into the Gaza Strip is not on the horizon at the current stage.
The report indicated that Muhammad Dahlan is participating behind the scenes in these movements, as he is managing a large humanitarian aid project and pushing for steps to rebuild the sector in the name of the UAE, in parallel with his work to strengthen his support base.
The report believes that this delay gives Hamas the resource it is currently seeking: time, as the movement is expected to attempt to prolong the disarmament process for many months.
As long as attacks and assassinations do not resume, Hamas can use this period to recruit new members, conduct training, and rebuild its strength.
Thus, while the focus is supposed to be on reshaping the Gaza Strip, political developments inside Israel and the upcoming elections may prolong the transitional phase from which Hamas will benefit, while the “Day After” plan remains suspended between the new oversight mechanisms and the delay in implementing its security and civilian elements.
