JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected a 15-point Gaza proposal backed by US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace, insisting that Hamas must be completely disarmed before Israeli forces begin withdrawing from the Gaza Strip.
According to Israeli media reports, Netanyahu made the position clear during a cabinet meeting on Sunday, saying Israel had rejected the 15-point document.
Netanyahu Sets Hamas Disarmament as Condition
Netanyahu said Israel’s military would not withdraw from its current positions in Gaza until Hamas was fully disarmed.
He also stressed that disarmament must involve more than the removal of heavy weapons.
According to the Israeli prime minister, Hamas must surrender all weapons as part of what he described as genuine disarmament rather than a “fictitious” process.
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The position places Hamas’s complete disarmament ahead of any significant Israeli military withdrawal.
What Does Trump’s Gaza Plan Propose?
The Trump-backed proposal envisages a phased transition under the Gaza ceasefire framework.
The plan reportedly calls for Hamas to surrender its weapons, followed by a gradual Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza.
It also includes plans for the development of a new Palestinian police force and the reconstruction of Gaza under international supervision.
The proposal seeks to move the territory toward a new security and governance arrangement while addressing the humanitarian and reconstruction needs of its population.
Netanyahu Wants Disarmament Before Withdrawal
Netanyahu’s position differs on the sequence of the proposed steps.
Under the US-backed framework, Hamas disarmament and the Israeli military withdrawal were envisioned as interconnected, phased processes.
Netanyahu, however, is insisting that Hamas must first be completely disarmed before Israeli forces withdraw.
This sequencing has emerged as a major point of disagreement over the implementation of the Gaza ceasefire framework.
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Potential Challenge to Trump’s Position
The Israeli prime minister’s rejection of the proposal could create further tensions with the Trump administration over the next phase of the Gaza agreement.
Netanyahu has made clear that Israel’s military position will remain linked to Hamas’s disarmament.
The disagreement could therefore complicate efforts to advance the next stage of the Gaza ceasefire, including Israeli withdrawal, Palestinian security arrangements and reconstruction.
For now, Netanyahu’s government appears determined to make complete Hamas disarmament a prerequisite for any Israeli military pullback from Gaza.
