Qatar and Egypt on Sunday urged Israel to withdraw its troops from Gaza. They said this step is necessary to move forward with the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Both countries are guarantors of the truce. The deal was brokered by US President Donald Trump.

Along with the withdrawal, they also called for the quick creation of an international stabilisation force. This force would take control of Gaza and help restore order in the war-torn coastal strip.

Ceasefire Plan Faces Deadlock

The current ceasefire is part of a US- and UN-backed, 20-point peace plan. This plan has helped reduce major fighting. However, the process has now stalled.

Both Israel and Hamas have not agreed to move to the second phase of the plan. In the first phase, Israel had to pull its forces back behind a “yellow line” within Gaza’s borders. At the same time, Hamas was required to release the hostages it was still holding and return the bodies of the dead, except for one.

Since then, progress has slowed. The ceasefire remains fragile. Both sides accuse each other of breaking its terms.

Qatar Warns Ceasefire Cannot Hold Without Full Withdrawal

Qatar’s prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, spoke at the Doha Forum, a yearly diplomatic gathering. He stressed that peace is impossible without a complete Israeli departure from Gaza.

He said, “Now we are at the critical moment … A ceasefire cannot be completed unless there is a full withdrawal of the Israeli forces (and) there is stability back in Gaza.”

Qatar, Egypt, and the US worked together to secure this difficult truce, but its success now depends on what happens next.

Hamas Rejects Disarmament Without End of Occupation

One of the biggest problems is Hamas’s disarmament. Under the second phase of the plan, Hamas is supposed to give up its weapons. Members who agree to disarm would be allowed to leave Gaza.

However, Hamas has refused this proposal again and again. On Saturday, the group made its position clear. It said that it would only give up its weapons if Israel fully ends its occupation of Gaza.

Hamas’s chief negotiator, Khalil al-Hayya, said, “Our weapons are linked to the existence of the occupation and the aggression.” He added, “If the occupation ends, these weapons will be placed under the authority of the state.”

This statement shows that Hamas is still tying disarmament directly to Israel’s actions.

International Force and ‘Board of Peace’ Proposed

The November UN-backed order outlines the next steps. It says Israel must withdraw from its positions. Gaza would then be run by a temporary governing body called the “Board of Peace”. In addition, an international stabilisation force would be deployed to keep peace on the ground.

Egypt strongly pushed for this force to arrive quickly. At the Doha Forum, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said, “We need to deploy this force as soon as possible on the ground because one party, which is Israel, is violating the ceasefire every day.”

The Egyptian foreign ministry also confirmed that Abdelatty met Sheikh Mohammed on Saturday. Both leaders agreed on “the importance of continuing efforts to implement” the peace deal.

Regional Nations Remain Hesitant

Even with these plans, many Arab and Muslim countries are careful. They are hesitant to join the international force. They fear it could drag them into direct conflict with Palestinian militant groups.

According to the proposal, Donald Trump would likely chair the “Board of Peace.” However, the names of the other members have still not been revealed.

This uncertainty adds more tension to an already delicate situation.