Efforts to strip Hamas terrorists of their military capabilities in Gaza are moving forward as planned, despite continued tensions surrounding the ceasefire, a senior figure involved in U.S. President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace initiative told Ynet Wednesday.

The official emphasized that the truce remains intact and that several major milestones have already been reached, including the release of hostages, the reopening and functioning of the Rafah crossing, and the formation of a technocratic administrative committee expected to enter Gaza soon. The next stage, the official said, is finalizing the framework for disarming Hamas terrorists, with the process slated to begin in March. Once that begins, the international stabilization force (ISF) is expected to expand its deployment.

Addressing a New York Times report suggesting the U.S. may allow Hamas terrorists to retain light weapons, the official clarified that disarmament will occur in phases, with small arms being the final category handled.

According to the official, Hamas terrorists have opposed giving up all weapons immediately, claiming rival clans in Gaza could attack their members if they disarm at once. Under the evolving plan, the sequence would begin with dismantling tunnels, followed by shutting down weapons factories, then eliminating rocket-propelled grenades and mortars, and lastly addressing small arms.

The official said the goal is to pursue a consensus-based approach to ensure the process is durable and efficient, noting that even the Israeli military has not eliminated all tunnels in areas where it has operated and that such work requires time.

Earlier Wednesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu formally joined the Board of Peace during a meeting with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, ahead of Netanyahu’s discussions with Trump at the White House. Netanyahu is not expected to attend the council’s inaugural session in Washington on February 19. Participating countries will determine their representation levels, and the gathering will include formal statements and fundraising discussions.

Meanwhile, Reuters reported that U.S. security contractor UG Solutions, formerly responsible for managing the American-run Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, is in talks with the Board of Peace regarding a potential future role in Gaza. The company confirmed it submitted proposals after reports it was recruiting Arabic-speaking security personnel. A source familiar with the initiative confirmed those discussions took place.

UG Solutions has faced criticism from the UN and aid organizations, which accused the group of incidents in which Palestinians were killed while seeking aid at its facilities. The company ended its operations in Gaza when the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas terrorists took effect in October.

Regarding the planned international stabilization force, the official said Indonesia is prepared to contribute up to 8,000 troops, and several other nations have agreed in principle to join. Many governments, however, want clear agreement on Hamas’ disarmament before deployment moves forward.

The official described the current moment as a phase of intensive coordination, with technocratic officials expected to enter Gaza shortly and preparations underway for a gradual, structured dismantling of Hamas’ terrorist military infrastructure.