The United States and Israel launched a war against Iran at a time inconvenient for the Board of Peace, which had been formed to pursue Hamas’s disarmament in Gaza. U.S. President Donald Trump had expected the conflict with Iran to accelerate Hamas’s disarmament, but instead, the war has emboldened the group. Just nine days before the war began, the Board of Peace had secured a $17 billion commitment for humanitarian aid and reconstruction in Gaza, signaling growing international support for disarming Hamas.

The conflict quickly diverted global attention, and Gulf states that had pledged major donations suffered heavy losses from Iranian counterattacks. These countries are now prioritizing defense spending over foreign aid. Although the Board of Peace resumed talks with Hamas, the group continues to reject disarmament proposals. An Arab diplomat involved in the discussions said Iran’s resilience has encouraged Hamas to prolong negotiations and harden its stance.

Board envoy Nickolay Mladenov acknowledged that Hamas is consolidating control in Gaza and delaying talks, leaving reconstruction plans stalled amid the ongoing regional instability.