Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected a US-backed 15-point proposal aimed at ending the conflict in Gaza, despite the plan receiving support from Hamas and strong backing from US President Donald Trump.
Speaking during a cabinet meeting on Sunday, Netanyahu made it clear that Israel would not accept any arrangement that requires its military to withdraw from Gaza before Hamas is completely disarmed.
“Israel rejects the 15-point document,” Netanyahu said, referring to the proposal that Hamas agreed to in late July.
He maintained that the Israeli military would continue operating in Gaza until Hamas no longer posed what Israel considers a threat to its forces and citizens. According to Netanyahu, any withdrawal would only take place after what he described as the genuine disarmament of Hamas.
The Israeli leader’s position represents a significant departure from Trump’s enthusiastic support for the agreement, which the US president has described as an important opportunity to advance peace in the region.
Netanyahu, however, continued to describe Trump as a close ally, calling him “our greatest friend in the White House.” At the same time, he acknowledged that Israel and the United States do not agree on every aspect of the proposed arrangement.
“They have ideas; some of them are acceptable to us and some are not,” Netanyahu said, stressing that Israel would continue to defend its position during discussions with Washington.
Political pressure at home
Netanyahu’s rejection comes as he faces growing pressure from his right-wing political allies, many of whom have strongly opposed the Gaza proposal.
The Israeli prime minister is also preparing for a closely contested election scheduled for October 27. Recent opinion polls have reportedly shown him either narrowly ahead or behind his rivals, increasing the political pressure surrounding his handling of the Gaza conflict.
The proposed agreement has reportedly been unpopular among parts of Netanyahu’s right-wing support base, while far-right members of his coalition have called on him to reject the deal entirely.
Hamas, meanwhile, has continued to support the proposal and urged the United States to pressure Netanyahu and his government to implement it.
Bassem Naim, a member of Hamas’s political bureau, called on the mediators and Washington to ensure that the proposed roadmap was not derailed by Israel’s domestic political considerations.
Hamas also reaffirmed in a statement that it remained committed to the agreement.
Disagreement over Israeli withdrawal
The proposed Gaza framework reportedly requires Hamas to hand over its weapons to an emerging Palestinian governing authority. In return, Israel would gradually withdraw its forces as the disarmament process progresses.
That sequence has been a major point of disagreement.
Following a meeting with Netanyahu last week, Trump’s Board of Peace, the body tasked with helping implement the agreement, appeared to modify its position by saying Israel would only be required to withdraw after Hamas had been completely disarmed.
The adjustment, however, failed to convince Netanyahu.
The Israeli prime minister insisted that his government was seeking what he called “real disarmament” rather than an arrangement that would leave Hamas capable of retaining its weapons.
Growing friction between Netanyahu and Trump
The disagreement over Gaza adds to a series of recent differences between Netanyahu and Trump.
Netanyahu has previously relied heavily on his close relationship with Trump, whose administration has taken several significant steps in support of Israel.
The two leaders also worked together during the conflict with Iran earlier this year. However, tensions emerged when Trump pushed for a ceasefire and a diplomatic settlement as the conflict affected US interests and contributed to rising oil prices.
Netanyahu has continued to insist that Iran must not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons.
Addressing his cabinet, he said that regardless of whether a broader agreement is reached, Israel would continue working to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
The Israeli government has also recently ordered new strikes in Lebanon following what it described as violations of a ceasefire involving Iran-backed Hezbollah. The developments came while US-mediated discussions between Israel and Lebanon were underway.
Gaza ceasefire remains fragile
The latest Gaza proposal represents another attempt to strengthen a ceasefire arrangement brokered by the United States.
Although the truce has reduced the scale of Israeli military activity in Gaza, fighting and other incidents have continued.
Egypt, one of the key mediators in the negotiations, has urged all parties to respect their commitments and avoid actions that could threaten the progress already made.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty reportedly discussed the situation with Nickolay Mladenov, the Board of Peace’s high representative for Gaza, and called for continued efforts to preserve the diplomatic process.
Despite Netanyahu’s rejection of the plan, Israeli military activity in Gaza appears to have declined since the proposal was announced, although operations have not stopped completely.
Gaza civil defence spokesman Mahmoud Bassal said Israeli gunfire on Sunday injured a child who was subsequently taken to hospital in Khan Yunis.
According to figures from Gaza’s health ministry, which operates under Hamas authorities and whose casualty figures are generally considered reliable by the United Nations, Israeli military operations have killed 1,258 Palestinians since the ceasefire began.
The Israeli military, meanwhile, has reported five deaths among its personnel during the same period.
The latest developments leave the future of the US-backed Gaza plan uncertain, with Hamas maintaining its commitment to the agreement while Netanyahu insists that Israel will not accept a withdrawal timetable unless Hamas is fully and genuinely disarmed.
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