Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected President Trump's 15-point Gaza proposal, insisting Israeli forces will not withdraw until Hamas is demonstrably disarmed. The US-backed Board of Peace says an agreement for "complete disarmament" exists, but Hamas conditions any weapons handover on an Israeli withdrawal and an end to aggression. Despite an initial ceasefire in October, Israel has continued strikes, and Netanyahu is consulting US officials while facing electoral pressure.
Netanyahu Rejects Trump's 15-Point Gaza Plan, Insists on Genuine Hamas Disarmament
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has formally rejected US President Donald Trump's 15-point proposal for Gaza, saying Israeli forces will not withdraw until Hamas is "genuinely" disarmed.
Netanyahu told his cabinet on Sunday that Israel "rejects the 15-point document" and that the military "will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is genuinely disarmed". He added that the Israeli Defence Forces will continue to counter threats to both troops and civilians.
Background
Last month, the US-backed "Board of Peace" announced it had reached an agreement aimed at the "complete disarmament" of Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza. Hamas, however, says it will only hand over heavy weapons if Israel ends "all forms of aggression" and withdraws its forces from the territory.
Although an initial ceasefire was agreed last October, Israel has carried out strikes inside Gaza since then. The divergent conditions set by Hamas and Israel — and Netanyahu's demand for a demonstrable, not merely symbolic, disarmament — have left the proposal stalled.
"Israel rejects the 15-point document," Netanyahu said. "The military will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is genuinely disarmed and will continue to thwart threats against our forces and our citizens."
What Comes Next
Netanyahu said he was in discussions with US officials about next steps. With Israeli national elections only months away, the prime minister faces domestic political pressure that makes concessions difficult. Critics say the impasse represents a setback for the Trump initiative, which was first unveiled in September of last year and hailed by the US as a major step toward lasting peace and security.
The dispute highlights the core obstacle to any durable settlement: whether disarmament can be verified and how security responsibilities will be managed during any Israeli drawdown.
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