Israel will not have to withdraw its forces from Gaza until Palestinian groups surrender their weapons under the Board of Peace’s plan, its senior envoy has said contradicting his earlier position stating that it did.

Speaking to Israel’s Channel 12, Nikolay Mladenov said any withdrawal would follow the verified decommissioning of weapons.

“Nobody is required to do anything. Last of all, Israel, before we actually have verified steps on the ground.”

Mladenov spoke hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the board’s 15-point roadmap. He said Israel would retain the right to launch military attacks against what it considered imminent threats.

Turkey and Qatar would help verify compliance, he added, although the US would control the process.

“I'm not building any of this on the basis of trust. And none of us are. And we're very clear-eyed about the risks going forward,” Mladenov said.