Board of Peace Reverses Course: Hamas Must Disarm Before Israeli Withdrawal from Gaza

After meeting Netanyahu in West Jerusalem on August 3, the US-led Board of Peace dropped its earlier pledge to link Hamas's disarmament with Israel's military withdrawal from Gaza. Israeli forces will now stay behind the Yellow Line — the agreed demarcation boundary — until all weapons and tunnels are decommissioned. Hamas refuses to comply unless Israel meets its obligations first. The reversal effectively hands Israel control over the withdrawal timetable.