Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel has rejected the latest US-backed peace plan for Gaza, insisting on the full disarmament of Hamas before any Israeli military withdrawal.
The remarks come more than a week after President Donald Trump announced a breakthrough in negotiations, with his Board of Peace unveiling a 15-point plan intended to secure lasting peace in the territory. In his first direct comments on the plan, Netanyahu said: “I want to be precise here: Israel rejects the 15-point document.”
He said Israeli forces would not withdraw until Hamas is “genuinely disarmed,” adding that discussions with Washington were ongoing. “They have ideas, some of which are acceptable to us and some are not,” he said.
Netanyahu also ruled out the establishment of a Palestinian state “not in Gaza and not in the West Bank” for as long as he remains prime minister. His coalition faces elections at the end of October and is currently trailing in opinion polls.
At the end of July, Trump announced what he called a historic agreement on the disarmament of Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza. Hamas has said it will only proceed if Israel halts strikes and withdraws to the “yellow line” set out in the October ceasefire agreement. A senior Hamas official said Sunday the group remained committed to Trump’s roadmap
