Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected a 15 point Gaza peace plan backed by U.S. President Donald Trump, insisting that Israel will not withdraw its forces from the territory until Hamas is genuinely disarmed.
Trump’s Board of Peace said last month that it had reached an agreement aimed at achieving the “complete disarmament” of Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza.
However, Hamas has said that any move to hand over its heavy weapons would depend on Israel ending what it described as “all forms of aggression” and withdrawing its forces from Gaza.
Israel has continued military operations in Gaza despite an initial ceasefire agreement reached last October, with strikes and other military activity continuing in the territory.
“Israel rejects the 15 point document,” Netanyahu said during a cabinet meeting on Sunday.
He added that the Israeli military would not withdraw until Hamas was “genuinely disarmed” and would continue operations to prevent threats against Israeli forces and civilians.
Netanyahu said Hamas could not be allowed to undergo what he described as a “fictitious disarmament”, stressing that the group must give up its weapons before Israel considers a full military withdrawal.
The Israeli prime minister said he was continuing discussions with U.S. officials over how to move forward with the peace initiative.
“They have ideas; some of them are acceptable to us and some are not, and we know how to stand our ground on these matters,” Netanyahu said.
Disagreement Over Gaza Roadmap
Trump announced the Gaza peace initiative last September, describing it as a major step towards achieving lasting peace and security in the region.
The proposed framework includes the creation of the Board of Peace to oversee implementation, the disarmament of Hamas and other armed groups, the withdrawal of Israeli forces and the reconstruction of Gaza.
Trump said the initiative represented a major diplomatic breakthrough after Hamas indicated that it was prepared to accept a plan for disarmament.
However, the disagreement between Israel and Hamas over the sequence of disarmament and Israeli withdrawal remains a major obstacle.
Netanyahu insists that Hamas must disarm before Israeli forces leave Gaza, while Hamas has maintained that an Israeli withdrawal and an end to military operations must come first.
The dispute has also created political pressure within Israel. Netanyahu’s far right allies have opposed aspects of the Gaza plan and called for stronger conditions before Israel makes further concessions.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has described the draft agreement as unacceptable and urged the government to take a tougher position.
With Israeli elections approaching, Netanyahu faces pressure from both domestic political allies and the Trump administration over the future of the Gaza agreement.
The latest disagreement represents another setback for efforts to implement Trump’s Gaza peace roadmap, with the issues of Hamas disarmament, Israeli troop withdrawal and the reconstruction of the territory still unresolved.
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