Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected a 15-point US-backed plan for Gaza, insisting that Israeli forces will not withdraw until Hamas is genuinely disarmed.
The rejection represents another setback for US President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace initiative, which calls for the disarmament of Hamas, an Israeli military withdrawal and the reconstruction of Gaza.
Key disagreement Trump’s Board of Peace said it had reached an agreement with Hamas on the group’s “complete disarmament. “However, Hamas has said that handing over its heavy weapons depends on Israel ending its military operations and withdrawing its forces from Gaza. Netanyahu rejected that sequence, saying:”Israel rejects the 15-point document.
“He added that Israel would not withdraw until Hamas had been genuinely disarmed and that Israeli forces would continue to prevent threats against Israel and its citizens. Hamas respondsA Hamas official said the group remains committed to the agreement and is prepared to engage seriously in implementing the 15-point plan. Hamas also called on mediators to ensure that all parties honour the terms of the agreement.
Why the plan is struggling The central obstacle is the order in which the two sides are expected to act: Hamas’ position: Disarmament → requires Israeli withdrawal and an end to attacks.Israel’s position: Hamas must disarm first → then Israeli forces can withdraw.
A practical agreement would likely require the process to happen in stages, but Netanyahu said negotiations with US officials are continuing over how to move forward.
The Israeli prime minister is also under pressure from members of his right-wing coalition, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who has rejected the proposed plan. Wider context The Gaza war began after the 7 October 2023 Hamas-led attack on southern Israel, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage, according to the figures cited in the report.Israel subsequently launched its military campaign in Gaza. Gaza’s Health Ministry says more than 73,000 Palestinians have been killed, while the UN estimates that about 1.9 million people—around 90% of Gaza’s population—have been displaced.
Netanyahu’s rejection now puts further pressure on Trump’s administration to find a compromise between Israel’s demand for Hamas’s disarmament and Hamas’s demand for an Israeli withdrawal.
