DaysofPal— Recent diplomatic efforts by Nikolay Mladenov, described as the head of what is referred to as the Peace Council for Gaza, have stirred significant political debate, with critics accusing him of aligning with Israeli conditions while sidelining urgent humanitarian priorities in the Gaza Strip.
The controversy comes amid stalled implementation of the first and second phases of a ceasefire plan proposed by Donald Trump, which Palestinian sources say has been hindered by continued Israeli crimes.
In response, Mladenov has reportedly introduced new proposals to Hamas and other Palestinian factions regarding ceasefire arrangements.
According to informed sources, an earlier proposal presented by Mladenov suggested implementing the first phase of the agreement over eight months, linked to the disarmament of Palestinian armed groups, an idea that was met with unified Palestinian rejection.
Last week, Mladenov traveled to Cairo alongside U.S. adviser Aryeh Lightstone, where they met with Hamas representatives and other Palestinian factions.
During the meetings, an updated proposal was introduced, merging the first and second phases of the plan and including a disarmament timeline ranging from six months to one year.
Palestinian factions responded with a written statement requesting clarifications and firmly rejecting any framework that ties disarmament to partial agreements, insisting instead on a comprehensive resolution to the broader Palestinian issue.
The response was conveyed to mediators, including Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, as well as U.S. envoys.
The original plan, announced in September 2025 by Trump, included a full ceasefire, partial Israeli withdrawal, the entry of 600 aid trucks daily, and the release of prisoners. While Hamas reportedly complied with aspects of the first phase, Palestinian sources say Israeli occupation failed to meet its commitments and continued military operations, resulting in hundreds of casualties since the agreement.
Political analyst Wissam Afifa argued that Mladenov’s role appears to be shifting from that of a neutral mediator to an active participant in reshaping the political landscape, particularly by leveraging humanitarian issues as tools of pressure.
Afifa noted that several humanitarian issues, such as the operation of Gaza’s sole power plant, are logistically ready but remain stalled due to the absence of political approval, leaving the territory in prolonged electricity shortages.
He also highlighted a worsening waste management crisis, stating that Gaza requires the operation of around 50 trucks daily for six months to address massive waste accumulation, estimated between 700,000 and 800,000 tons.
Despite the availability of landfill capacity east of Khan Younis, access remains restricted due to political constraints.
According to Afifa, international organizations have attempted to coordinate with Mladenov and a Cairo-based technocratic committee, but without tangible results.
He argued that priorities have shifted from “saving lives” to “imposing political conditions.”
He concluded that Gaza is not experiencing a genuine ceasefire, but rather a “managed pressure phase,” in which essential services such as electricity, fuel, and waste management are used as bargaining tools.
Meanwhile, Israeli affairs analyst Mohammed Musleh suggested that Mladenov’s actions align with the policies of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who he said seeks to freeze the negotiation track in Gaza.
Musleh argued that Netanyahu prefers to maintain the current situation in Gaza as a political and military lever, particularly amid broader regional complexities involving Lebanon and Iran.
He added that Mladenov’s focus on disarmament increases pressure on Hamas while simultaneously hindering humanitarian progress and obstructing the work of the technocratic committee.
Linking humanitarian issues to disarmament, Musleh said, risks repeating past frameworks such as the Oslo Accords, which he argued reduced the Palestinian issue to security and humanitarian dimensions rather than addressing its political core.
Musleh concluded that the failure to implement the initial phase of Trump’s plan is primarily due to Israeli policies, including continued military operations and daily violations, driven in part by Netanyahu’s pursuit of domestic political gains without making substantive concessions on the ground.
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