Board of Peace Blurs Definition of Gaza's 'Yellow Line' Amid Uphill Battle to Advance Disarmament Plan

Board of Peace High Representative Nickolay Mladenov met Prime Minister Netanyahu on August 12, 2026, after which the Board issued a statement saying Israel and the Board "share a common understanding of the ultimate objectives" and that IDF withdrawal beyond the Yellow Line "will take place only once decommissioning is complete, as Hamas committed to the mediators — this applies to light weapons, heavy weapons, and the tunnels alike." The statement marks a shift from language used days earlier describing withdrawal as moving "in lockstep" with Hamas disarmament. Mladenov said "Israel is currently at the Yellow Line — that is where its troops are — what we are asking is that the IDF not position troops further from the Yellow Line," deliberately avoiding specifying whether the benchmark is the original October 2025 demarcation (roughly 53% Israeli-controlled territory) or the expanded line Netanyahu ordered IDF forces to occupy, covering closer to 70% of Gaza. An Israeli official and an Arab diplomat disputed whether Israeli troops in fact exceed the original line. The ambiguity reflects the Board's broader struggle to reconcile Israeli security demands with the 15-point Hamas disarmament roadmap accepted July 30, as reconstruction funding and IDF withdrawal remain stalled.