Nickolay Mladenov, the High Representative for Gaza in the Peace Council, has intensified his efforts aimed at pushing for the entry of international stabilization forces recently formed by the council, with the goal of deploying in specific areas of the Gaza Strip as part of implementing US President Donald Trump's ceasefire plan.

These moves come in the wake of meetings held by the Peace Council with representatives from many countries in Cyprus at the end of last June and the beginning of this July.

The Cyprus meetings focused on enabling the Gaza Administration Committee, led by Palestinian Ali Shaat, to perform its tasks, and implementing a plan related to establishing a pilot zone to move Palestinians into, creating a residential area apparently using caravans equipped with residents' needs, instead of comprehensive reconstruction in the sector.

Relatives of the family of Firas al-Masri, his wife Salsabil, and their four children who were killed in Gaza City during funeral rites (AP)

Mladenov accuses Hamas of rejecting the roadmap he had prepared, while the movement considers it biased and non-binding on Israel.

Mladenov announced late Wednesday evening that he met with military officials from Morocco and Kosovo in preparation for deploying their forces soon in the sector, noting that the meeting took place during a visit to Gaza, without specifying the location of the meeting, which is expected to have been held in the city of Rafah, which is under full Israeli control, and whose western areas, particularly the Tel al-Sultan neighborhood, will be the first locations of the pilot zone.

Moving forward! Multinational effort continues with Internarional Stabilization Force. Excellent debrief with Kosovo and Morocco contingents preparing next deployments with visit to Gaza today. Thank you for your contributions and looking forward to working together. @NCAG... pic.twitter.com/LMmiGgoRme

— Nickolay E. MLADENOV (@nmladenov) July 22, 2026

Mladenov described the meeting as fruitful, expressing thanks to the units from Morocco and Kosovo for their contributions and looking forward to working with them, confirming on platform X that multinational efforts with the International Stabilization Force are ongoing.

This step came days after Mladenov signed an agreement with Morocco on the participation of its forces in the International Stabilization Force, the deployment of senior officers to the force's joint command, and the establishment of a base to transport military vehicles dedicated to transport and logistical support to the force's command positions.

The Israeli Broadcasting Authority noted that the Israeli political level has not yet given the necessary green light for the deployment of international stabilization forces and their entry into Gaza territories, due to not moving forward with any future plans for the sector until Hamas fulfills its commitments to disarm, according to the Hebrew channel.

Field sources revealed to Asharq Al-Awsat days ago that the construction of distinctive military towers different from those of the Israeli army was observed in areas near Rafah, as well as east of the central region and east of Jabalia in the north.

A satellite image showing part of an earthen wall being built by Israeli forces in the central Gaza Strip on July 7 this year. The Bureij refugee camp appears on the left while the Wadi Gaza cuts through the wall. An Israeli military base is located on the other side (AP)

A Palestinian source from civil society, familiar with the work of the Gaza Administration Committee, told Asharq Al-Awsat that its members were recently informed of positive progress in behind-the-scenes negotiations that will allow them to enter the Gaza Strip soon, without receiving further details.

The source explained that committee members speak of a positive atmosphere in Cairo in recent days, of which they were informed by Mladenov's team without receiving any clarifications.

When Asharq Al-Awsat asked sources from Hamas and Palestinian factions whether the negotiations had witnessed any new developments, those sources denied any developments that could be built upon, indicating that mediators are still communicating with all parties to try to bring viewpoints closer.