In its first report to the UN Security Council, the Board of Peace this month said Hamas’s refusal to disarm was the main obstacle to the reconstruction of Gaza.
The board's leader, Nickolay Mladenov, also called on Israel to honour its commitments to the ceasefire, after its attacks killed at least 850 Palestinians following the truce announcement in October.
He accused both parties of inaction and warned that the deteriorating status quo of a divided Gaza risks becoming permanent.
Israel refuses to withdraw until Hamas disarms. But is this a feasible sticking point and what would it mean for Gaza’s security and governance?
In an episode of Beyond the Headlines from October 2025, host Nada AlTaher examines the security vacuum in Gaza, where Hamas is weakened and militias try to gain power. She speaks to The National’s Gaza correspondent Nagham Mohanna and Palestinian defence and security journalist Hamze Attar.
