Deaths in Gaza and complete closure of the town of Turmusaya in Ramallah
Two Palestinians were killed as a result of their injuries in shelling carried out by Israeli forces on areas in the northern Gaza Strip and the center of the city, raising the toll ofthe Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip to 72,619 dead and 172,484 injured, since the start of the aggression on October 7, 2023.
Medical sources announced, on Wednesday, May 6, that during the past 2-4 hours, hospitals in the Gaza Strip received 4 martyrs (3 new deaths, one fatality and 16 injuries).
In the West Bank, the Israeli army closed the entrances to the town of Turmusaya, northeast of Ramallah, and completely isolated it through earthen berms and closed all main, secondary and agricultural roads, where municipal council member Abdullah Awwad said that the forces stormed the town at dawn accompanied by military bulldozers, and closed the roads leading to the town of Abu Falah, adding that movement inside the town is "completely paralyzed" with schools and services disrupted.
In an interview with Anadolu Agency, Awwad pointed out that the settlers are attacking the area, uprooting hundreds of olive trees, and preventing farmers from accessing their lands, considering that these measures come as part of an ongoing policy of restriction targeting the residents and their sources of livelihood. Israel has not commented on the reasons for the closure.
The West Bank has been witnessing a continuous escalation since the start of the aggression on the Gaza Strip in October 2023, which included killings, arrests, demolitions, and settlement expansion, which led to the death of at least 1,155 Palestinians and the injury of about 11,750 others, in addition to the arrest of nearly 22,000, according to official data.
The promises of the "Peace Council" collide with the reality of Gaza. Mladenov meets Netanyahu
The Gaza Peace Council held a meeting in Jerusalem on Tuesday, May 5, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with the participation of US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, according to the US website Politico.
The meeting follows a series of meetings held by the council's executive director, Nickolay Mladenov, with Palestinian faction officials in Cairo, which did not yield results on the transition to the second phase of the ceasefire agreement, amid Israeli threats to return to war.
Limited progress and existing threats
An informed source said that the meeting showed tangible progress, and that the discussion on the future of Gaza was fruitful and effective, with an agreement on the need to achieve tangible improvement by next October.
Mladenov said in a post on the "X" platform that the session discussed the near future, stressing the commitment of the parties to implement US President Donald Trump's 20-point plan, and work to turn the commitments into concrete steps.
On the other hand, Israel Army Radio had reported that Mladenov would ask for humanitarian aid and a reduction in military operations, but these demands have not yet been mentioned at the meeting, as Israel continues to threaten a return to war.
Threats to resume fighting... and warning messages
The Times of Israel revealed a letter addressed by Mladenov and Liststone to the head of the Gaza National Administrative Committee, Ali Shaath, warning that Hamas' rejection of the disarmament framework could lead to a resumption of the war, without guaranteeing aid or stopping the attacks.
Channel 15 also quoted an army chief of staff as saying that "an additional round of fighting with Hamas is almost inevitable" because of the group's refusal to dismantle its military arsenal.
For his part, Abdul-Jabbar Saeed, a member of Hamas' political bureau, confirmed that the movement has delivered its response to the "road map" proposal, noting that the movement has dealt positively, but it requires the implementation of the commitments of the first phase that Israel violated, including withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, the entry of aid, and the ability of the administrative committee to enter Gaza.
Peace Council
The Gaza Peace Council is one of the most prominent international frameworks developed to manage the post-conflict phase in the Gaza Strip, as it was established in early 2026 as part of a comprehensive 20-point plan announced by US President Donald Trump, with the aim of stabilizing the ceasefire, reconstruction, and restructuring of civil governance.
Nickolay Mladenov is the Executive Director of the Council, which works in coordination with the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, headed by Ali Shaath, and with regional and international actors, where the Council focuses on transforming political commitments into practical steps that include improving the humanitarian situation, empowering civilian institutions, launching reconstruction projects, and discussing sensitive security issues such as disarmament arrangements.
The Peace Council's plan is based on three main phases, beginning with the stabilization of the ceasefire and the improvement of the humanitarian situation, including a cessation of hostage, the release of hostages and prisoners, the entry of aid in large quantities, the gradual return of displaced people, and a limited withdrawal of Israeli forces from some areas.
The second phase focuses on the restart of Gaza's civil institutions, enabling the National Committee to manage the Gaza Strip, initiating reconstruction projects, restoring basic services, establishing an international fund to support reconstruction and expanding the role of the Palestinian Authority in managing day-to-day affairs.
The third phase includes the most sensitive security files, especially disarmament, including the destruction of tunnels, the collection of heavy weapons, the establishment of a new Palestinian security force under international supervision, and the verification of the demilitarization of Gaza in preparation for the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Strip.
Despite the promises made by the council on a "better future for Gaza," the implementation of its plan faces major obstacles, most notably the differences between the parties, the continuation of Israel's military operations, and the stalled implementation of the first phase of the agreement, which makes the future of its role dependent on the ability of the parties to adhere to its plan and implement it on the ground.