Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly rejected President Donald Trump’s 15-point Gaza peace plan Sunday, insisting Israeli forces will remain in the territory until Hamas has been “genuinely” disarmed.
“Israel rejects the 15-point document,” Netanyahu told a cabinet meeting, delivering another setback to the U.S.-backed effort aimed at bringing an end to the war in Gaza.
Netanyahu made clear that Israel would not agree to withdraw its military forces before Hamas disarms.
The Israeli military “will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is genuinely disarmed and will continue to thwart threats against our forces and our citizens,” Netanyahu said.
The Israeli leader doubled down on his position in a post accompanying a clip of his formal announcement Monday, also ruling out the creation of a Palestinian state while he remains in office.
“As long as I am Prime Minister, a Palestinian state will not arise – not in Gaza and not in the West Bank,” Netanyahu wrote. “Not Fatahstan and not Hamasstan.”
Despite publicly rejecting the 15-point document, Netanyahu told his cabinet that discussions with U.S. officials remain underway.
“They have ideas; some of them are acceptable to us and some are not, and we know how to stand our ground on these matters,” Netanyahu said.
Trump’s Board of Peace announced last month that an agreement had been reached for the “complete disarmament” of Hamas and other armed groups operating in Gaza.
Trump hailed the development as a “monumental step toward lasting peace and security.”
But Hamas has said its willingness to surrender heavy weapons depends on Israel first ending “all forms of aggression” and withdrawing Israeli forces from the territory.
Those competing conditions have left the Trump administration’s proposal facing a central dispute over which side will be required to make the first move.
A Hamas official said Sunday that the group “reaffirms its commitment” to the agreement and is prepared “to engage seriously and responsibly in implementing” the 15-point proposal, according to the BBC.
The Hamas official also called on mediators involved in the process to ensure that “all parties” comply with the agreement.
Nickolay Mladenov, the Board of Peace’s high representative for Gaza, defended the peace proposal Sunday despite the continuing disagreement.
Mladenov said Israel had been asked “to give the process a chance” and described the proposal as “the only way forward.”
He also argued that the process had been structured to address Israeli concerns over Hamas disarmament.
According to Mladenov, the process is designed to be both “verifiable” and “reversible.”
He stressed that under the proposal, Israel would not be required to withdraw its forces until Hamas could be verified as taking steps toward disarmament.
Netanyahu, however, has publicly drawn a firm line, rejecting the 15-point document while maintaining that Israel will continue military operations against threats until Hamas is genuinely disarmed.
