Intense diplomatic talks are underway ahead of the expected opening of the Rafah crossing in the coming days, as a U.S.-backed plan to transfer governance of Gaza to a technocratic council under the Board of Peace enters a decisive phase, officials involved in the process said.
Despite assessments in Israel that the crossing could reopen as early as Sunday, no final date has been agreed upon, according to officials familiar with the discussions. The opening of the crossing is expected to mark the first entry of the technocratic governing body into Gaza, a move intended to replace Hamas’ control of the territory.
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(Photo: REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein, AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi, Alex Kolomoisky, REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa)
Senior American officials involved in the Board of Peace initiative addressed recent reports that Hamas is rebuilding its capabilities and profiting from taxes imposed on aid trucks entering Gaza. They stressed that delays in implementing the plan are strengthening Hamas and underscored what they described as an urgent need to move forward.
“There is enormous urgency to advance the plan,” one senior official said.
Officials involved in the initiative said that without progress on demilitarizing Gaza and implementing the stages laid out by the Board of Peace, Hamas will continue to consolidate power in the territory.
If Hamas fails to move forward with disarmament and the dismantling of its military infrastructure, they said, Israel will be forced to respond.
“The IDF must be prepared and ready — not just in briefings or slogans,” one official said. “The forces should be visibly prepared, as we have done in the past. If Hamas refuses to move forward, the alternative will be military action, carried out by the IDF.”
Officials emphasized that foreign armies will not confront Hamas inside Gaza. If the terror group refuses to disarm, they said, “the IDF will deal with it.”
A senior Board of Peace official said the technical details of weapons handover are still being finalized, but the process is expected to begin during March.
“If Hamas does not disarm, the plan does not advance and the IDF will have to enter Gaza,” the official said. “There is no hesitation on this point.”
Addressing claims that Hamas is generating significant revenue by taxing humanitarian aid trucks, officials said that once the plan is implemented, control over aid routes will shift away from Hamas.
“As the plan moves forward, there will be oversight of the trucks, and the taxes will not go to Hamas but to the technocratic government,” one official said.
Responding to concerns that Hamas operatives could reemerge under the guise of civil security forces, officials said the Board of Peace has extensive intelligence, including names and detailed mapping of individuals involved in the Oct. 7 attack and in Hamas’ armed mechanisms.
“There will be no turning a blind eye,” one official said. “Anyone listed in the database — and it is a large and significant database — will not be allowed to take part in civilian policing in Gaza or in forces that assume control there. There will be no revolving door.”
Despite Israeli opposition, officials confirmed that Qatar and Turkey are expected to be involved in the Board of Peace framework.
They said U.S. President Donald Trump, who appointed the Board of Peace, believes that countries with direct leverage over Hamas are necessary to pressure the group to disarm, relinquish power and implement the plan.
Officials stressed that even after the Rafah crossing opens, there will be no expansion in the quantity or type of goods entering Gaza until Hamas disarms.
Plans for an international stabilization force have not yet been finalized, officials said, though many countries have expressed interest in contributing personnel. For now, they said, progress hinges on establishing a clear and credible process for Hamas’ disarmament.