Mike Baker

In other words, it's a roadmap for a post-war Gaza in which Hamas no longer sits at the center of political or military power.

And that's precisely where the talks, unsurprisingly, appear to be breaking down.

Hamas argues that it should not be expected to implement what it views as the plan's second phase, while Israel has yet to fulfill several commitments tied to the first phase.

Those include expanded humanitarian assistance, troop withdrawals, the reopening of border crossings, and a halt to military operations.

So what happens if Hamas continues to say no?

Well, that's where this latest development becomes particularly interesting, because despite the deadlock, officials say planning for Gaza's future is continuing anyway.

As a source put it, quote, the Board of Peace is not waiting around for Hamas.

Reportedly, the board will continue with the advancement of the Technocratic National Committee for the administration of Gaza, along with broader governance, stabilization, and reconstruction initiatives in areas that can be secured free of Hamas control.

In other words, officials appear to be preparing for a scenario in which Hamas refuses to disarm and the plan moves forward anyway, except in areas where Hamas still exerts control.

Planners are considering invoking Article 17 of the proposal, which would allow reconstruction to proceed only in areas under Israeli security control if Hamas ultimately refuses to surrender its weapons.

That means rebuilding could begin in IDF-secured areas while Hamas-controlled territory is left behind.

That would create a dramatically different outcome than the one envisioned by negotiators hoping to establish a single post-war administration governing the entire territory.

Complicating matters further, a separate source told the Jerusalem Post that multiple terrorist organizations operating inside Gaza have coordinated a common negotiating position on disarmament, which means no disarmament.

And that, my friends, is the PDB Afternoon Bulletin for Thursday, the 18th of June.

If you have any questions or comments, please reach out to me at pdbatthefirsttv.com.

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I'm Mike Baker, and I'll be back tomorrow.

Until then, stay informed, stay safe, stay cool.