Board of Peace Issues Hamas End-of-Week Disarmament Ultimatum; Won't Hold Israel to Ceasefire Terms if Rejected

The US-backed Board of Peace issued Hamas an end-of-week deadline (by approximately May 9–10, 2026) to accept an 8-month phased disarmament framework, according to sources cited by the Times of Israel. Board of Peace High Representative Nickolay Mladenov held meetings with senior Hamas officials in Cairo. In a significant diplomatic shift, the Board of Peace signaled it would not hold Israel to the October 2025 ceasefire terms if Hamas rejected the disarmament offer — effectively providing Israel diplomatic cover to resume full-scale military operations. The disarmament plan calls for Hamas to surrender rockets, launchers, and tunnel maps in phases over 90 days, with Gaza's $17B+ reconstruction fund contingent on compliance. Hamas rejected the framework as 'crude' and 'unacceptable,' insisting it would only discuss weapons after a full Israeli military withdrawal and binding guarantees of Palestinian statehood. The Jerusalem Post reported the gaps between the parties were 'almost impossible to bridge.' The IDF's Southern Command had already presented a new operational plan for large-scale war resumption to Israel's political leadership, with an Israeli security source stating: 'If Hamas does not disarm, the IDF will return to fighting in the near future to complete the mission.'