Source: Israel Demands Right to Strike Gaza Areas Set for Handover to International Force

Haaretz reported on August 2, 2026 that Israel has told the Board of Peace — the international body overseeing the emerging Gaza roadmap — that it opposes the participation of Qatar and Turkey in the verification of the proposed arrangement, and is demanding the right to conduct military strikes in Gaza areas that would be handed over to an international force. The report reveals the depth of Israel's distrust of Qatar's role in any post-conflict Gaza arrangement, reflecting years of documented Qatari financial and political support for Hamas. Israel's demand to retain the right to strike in areas handed to international forces suggests a profound lack of confidence that any verification mechanism involving Qatar could be trusted to ensure Hamas does not rearm or reconstitute its military capabilities. The opposition to Qatar and Turkey as verifiers is consistent with Israel's broader position that only genuinely neutral parties — not states with documented ties to Hamas — should be entrusted with enforcement responsibilities. The Haaretz report highlights the significant diplomatic hurdles facing the Gaza roadmap, as Israel's security demands may conflict with the framework's verification architecture. The demand for strike rights in handover areas also signals Israel's determination to maintain operational freedom regardless of the international force's presence, reflecting lessons learned from past arrangements where international monitoring failed to prevent militant rearmament. The exclusion of Qatar from the verification role would represent a significant diplomatic setback for Doha, which has sought to position itself as an indispensable mediator in Gaza.