Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan, insisting Israel will not withdraw until Hamas fully disarms, reports BritPanorama.
The US president claimed last month that there had been a breakthrough in his plan to end the war, which both Israel and Hamas agreed to last year and which started with the ceasefire.
Trump asserted that Hamas, which ruled Gaza for nearly two decades before carrying out the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel that triggered the Gaza war, had agreed to lay down its weapons.
“Israel rejects the 15-point document,” Netanyahu stated at a cabinet meeting on Sunday.
The Israeli military “will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is genuinely disarmed and will continue to thwart threats against our forces and our citizens,” he added.
The Israeli prime minister mentioned he is now discussing next steps with US officials, finding some ideas “acceptable” while deeming others “are not.”
Last month, Egypt, mediating discussions between Israel and Hamas, announced that both sides had agreed to a new 15-point roadmap with plans for a future meeting in Cairo “to discuss implementation mechanisms.”
Trump expressed gratitude to Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey for facilitating the agreement and called it “historic.”
A senior Hamas negotiator stated that the group’s disarmament is conditional on Israel fulfilling its obligations under the agreement, which includes withdrawing from Gaza and allowing the establishment of a national committee for reconstruction efforts.
Senior Hamas official Ghazi Hamad emphasized: “The agreement contains a clear provision stating that Israel must commit to and implement its obligations. If Israel does not implement the agreement, neither will we.”
Israel’s dismissal of the plan presents a further obstacle for Trump, who introduced his Gaza peace initiative in September last year.
With Israeli elections looming, Netanyahu is unlikely to soften his hardline position. Last month, he informed his cabinet that he would not comply with US requests to withdraw troops from locations in Syria, Lebanon, and Gaza, according to Channel 13.
Sources indicated that Netanyahu expressed a determination to “stand on my own two feet and resist” amidst increasing pressure from the Israeli far-right to continue military operations.
What is in Trump’s 15-point plan for peace in Gaza?
The deal included the total disarmament of Hamas and other groups in Gaza and mandated the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the territory.
The plan stipulates that Hamas and “other factions” must agree to hand over all civilian governance and security functions in Gaza to a new technocratic body set up to manage the area.
The technocratic body would assume responsibility for addressing “internal security incidents.”
The 15-point plan also ties this process to a phased Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, yet it omits any mention of a reconstruction process.
Initially, Israel was expected to retreat to a boundary known as the Yellow Line, dividing land controlled by Palestinians and Israel. However, Israel has expanded its control to approximately two-thirds of the territory.
The Board of Peace recently praised a “constructive and detailed” meeting involving Netanyahu, Israeli officials, and Gaza envoy Nikolay Mladenov.
The Board remarked that Israel’s complete withdrawal beyond the Yellow Line will only occur once disarmament is complete, as agreed by Hamas to the mediators.
While Hamas rejects the term “disarmament,” it has stated willingness to transfer its weapons for storage under the control of a US-backed Palestinian administration once Israel ceases operations and withdraws in accordance with the prior ceasefire.
Discussions remain contentious regarding the sequence in which Hamas and Israel will undertake their respective de-escalations.
