Israel’s obligations under the newly released Gaza roadmap are deliberately “backloaded,” reversible and directly tied to verified progress in dismantling Hamas’s weapons and military infrastructure, a senior Board of Peace official told i24 News.

The official pushed back against claims that the plan requires Israel to halt its military operations and begin withdrawing from Gaza before Hamas takes meaningful steps toward disarmament. Instead, the roadmap is structured so that Israel’s most significant commitments would occur only as Hamas fulfills its obligations and control is transferred to the new Gaza administration and the International Stabilization Force.

Under the plan, every stage of implementation must be independently verified before the parties advance to the next phase. Israeli withdrawals would therefore be linked to the removal of weapons, the dismantling of tunnels and weapons-production facilities, and the establishment of alternative security arrangements inside Gaza.

The Board of Peace official stressed that Israel’s commitments are not irreversible concessions made in advance. Should Hamas fail to disarm or violate the agreement, Israel would not be required to continue withdrawing or surrender its ability to respond to threats.

The clarification comes amid fierce criticism in Israel over language in the roadmap calling for an immediate cessation of Israeli military operations, a gradual IDF withdrawal and the eventual transfer of civilian and security authority to a new Palestinian governing body.

Israeli officials have made clear that the IDF will not withdraw from the current Yellow Line without the genuine disarmament of Hamas. The central dispute remains one of sequencing: Hamas is demanding that Israel first halt its operations and fulfill previous commitments, while Israel insists that it cannot make further withdrawals as Hamas remains armed and continues rebuilding its capabilities.

The Board of Peace official’s comments seek to reassure Israel that the roadmap does not require it to blindly fulfill every provision while waiting for Hamas to comply. Rather, the plan’s implementation is intended to move in stages, with Israeli steps tied to concrete and verified action on disarmament.

The real test, however, will not be the language of the document or the assurances offered by international officials. It will be whether Hamas actually hands over its weapons, dismantles its terror infrastructure and relinquishes the military power it has spent years building inside Gaza.

Until that happens, Israel’s position remains unchanged: There can be no meaningful withdrawal and no genuine peace while Hamas remains armed.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)