- Netanyahu rejected Trump’s 15-point Gaza peace proposal
- He insisted Hamas must disarm before Israeli forces withdraw
- The disagreement threatens to delay efforts to end the Gaza conflict
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected US President Donald Trump’s 15-point proposal for ending the Gaza conflict, insisting that Israeli forces will not withdraw until Hamas is fully and genuinely disarmed.
Eko Hot Blog gathered Netanyahu made the position known during a cabinet meeting on Sunday, arguing that Israel could not accept any arrangement that allowed Hamas or other armed groups to retain weapons capable of threatening Israeli troops or civilians.
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“Israel rejects the 15-point document,” Netanyahu said, adding that the Israeli military would remain in Gaza until Hamas had been disarmed.
The disagreement threatens to create another obstacle to Trump’s efforts to secure a lasting settlement in Gaza.
Trump’s Board of Peace announced last month that an understanding had been reached on the complete disarmament of Hamas and other armed groups operating in the territory. However, Hamas has maintained that any move to surrender heavy weapons must be linked to an end to Israeli military operations and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
Netanyahu, however, said disarmament must come before any Israeli withdrawal and warned against what he described as a symbolic or “fictitious” disarmament process.
He said Israel was currently consulting with US officials over the next steps, noting that while some of the proposals under discussion were acceptable, others remained unacceptable to his government.
The Israeli prime minister’s position comes as pressure grows within his governing coalition over the proposed Gaza arrangement. Far-right members of his cabinet have opposed the plan, with National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir calling the proposal unacceptable and urging tougher action.
Trump’s Gaza roadmap envisages the creation of a Board of Peace to supervise implementation of the agreement, alongside the disarmament of Hamas, an Israeli military withdrawal and the reconstruction of Gaza.
Israel has continued military strikes in Gaza despite an initial ceasefire agreement reached last October, while negotiations over the long-term future of the territory remain unresolved.
With Israeli elections approaching, Netanyahu faces competing pressure from Washington, his coalition partners and the Israeli public, making further progress on the Gaza peace initiative increasingly difficult.
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