Trump Gaza Envoy Accuses Israel of Jeopardizing October Cease-fire as Strikes Undercut Hamas Disarmament Plan
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Aug 26
Trump Gaza Envoy Accuses Israel of Jeopardizing October Cease-fire as Strikes Undercut Hamas Disarmament Plan
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Aug 26
Summary
Nickolay Mladenov, President Trump’s top Gaza negotiator, told the U.N. Security Council that Israeli actions are endangering the Gaza cease-fire and a U.S.-backed plan to disarm Hamas.
His criticism followed weeks of rising tension over renewed Israeli strikes, which he said preserve the conditions that led to Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023 attack rather than changing them.
The rebuke is among the sharpest public criticism yet from Trump’s Board of Peace, the body created to end the war and oversee Gaza’s reconstruction.
The dispute centers on a deal Trump announced late last month to have all armed groups in Gaza lay down their weapons; Israel rejected it within days, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu then ordered new strikes.
Israel had no immediate public response, underscoring a widening gap between the U.S.-backed peace effort and Israel’s current military course in Gaza.
With both sides refusing to budge on who moves first, can the Board of Peace prevent the Gaza cease-fire from completely collapsing?
Are renewed military strikes a necessary security measure for Israel, or the exact catalyst that will destroy the fragile peace agreement?
73,000 Dead and Counting: The Collapse of Gaza’s Ceasefire and the Failure of U.S. Peace Efforts in 2026
Overview
In August 2026, Gaza faced a devastating resurgence of violence, with Israeli air strikes on civilian areas pushing the fragile ceasefire to a breaking point. Diplomatic efforts stalled as Israel, under intense domestic political pressure and upcoming elections, rejected the U.S.-backed peace roadmap, insisting on Hamas’s complete disarmament before any withdrawal. Far-right ministers fueled this stance, while Hamas demanded Israel halt attacks first, leading to a deadlock. The failure to establish a civilian administration or deploy international stabilization forces left Gaza in a dangerous security vacuum. Ongoing military operations, movement restrictions, and funding shortages blocked vital aid, worsening the humanitarian crisis and eroding public confidence in peace efforts.