Monitoring Mechanism Launches in Gaza Amid Ceasefire and US-Israel Coordination

Nikolay Mladenov, head of the Peace Council for Gaza, announced the recent activation of a monitoring mechanism to oversee ceasefire violations in the Gaza Strip. This development follows the ceasefire roadmap with Hamas and the first Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) strike in Gaza since the truce began. Mladenov emphasized that "any verified violation will be addressed," while denying reports of a financial agreement with Hamas, calling such claims false. He clarified that Peace Council funds are not transferred through Hamas and that all contracts undergo scrutiny and approval by donor governments.

Despite several days of calm, two people were injured, one critically, in an Israeli drone strike targeting a tuk-tuk near the Western Square in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza. Concurrently, US officials told Politico that although they were disappointed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's rejection of the 15-point plan, they decided to give him room to maneuver amid Israel's election campaign. A US source explained, "We recognize the complexities arising from the elections in Israel, and we will give Bibi space to try to navigate this."

However, the US administration demands reciprocation, requesting a pause in targeted killings to facilitate progress toward the next phase. Peace Council officials noted that Israel is effectively maintaining the ceasefire, halting assassinations, and adhering to the original "yellow line" covering 53% of Gaza, despite public statements rejecting the agreement. Former US Ambassador Dan Shapiro assessed that Netanyahu's primary goal is to survive the elections, publicly rejecting the plan while quietly allowing certain elements to advance with tacit approval from President Trump.