Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected a US-backed 15-point plan for Gaza, insisting that Israeli forces will not withdraw until Hamas is fully and genuinely disarmed.
Speaking at a cabinet meeting on Sunday, Netanyahu said Israel had rejected the document endorsed by Hamas and would continue military operations to protect its forces and citizens.
“The Israeli army will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is genuinely disarmed,” Netanyahu said, adding that Israel was discussing the issue with the United States.
He acknowledged that Washington had presented several ideas, some of which Israel accepted and others it rejected, but maintained that his government would stand firm on its position.
There was no immediate response from the White House. Hamas, however, said it remained committed to implementing the plan and called on mediators and guarantor countries to prevent any violations that could undermine the process.
The proposed roadmap calls for the initial disarmament of Hamas’s heavy weapons, weapons production facilities, arms depots and tunnel network. It also envisions the eventual transfer of Gaza’s day-to-day administration to a technocratic Palestinian committee operating under the oversight of the US-led Board of Peace.
Trump announced the agreement on July 30, describing it as a major step towards lasting peace and security. The plan includes the complete disarmament of Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza.
However, Netanyahu said Israel would demand what he described as “real disarmament,” including the removal of lighter weapons, and reiterated his opposition to the establishment of a Palestinian state.
The Israeli leader’s position has raised concerns about the future of the proposed ceasefire and the ability of mediators to implement the roadmap.
Analysts have warned that Netanyahu’s conditions could complicate efforts by the Board of Peace and other mediators to advance the disarmament process and reduce hostilities.
Meanwhile, Israeli forces have continued military operations in Gaza despite the ceasefire agreement. Palestinian health authorities said at least one child was injured in Israeli army gunfire in the Al-Najjar neighbourhood of Khan Younis on Sunday.
According to Gaza’s health ministry, at least 1,258 people have been killed and 4,139 wounded since the ceasefire began in October, while more than 800 bodies have been recovered from the rubble. The ministry puts the overall death toll in Gaza since October 2023 at at least 73,386, with 174,250 people wounded.