Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected a 15-point US-brokered plan for Gaza that would have seen Hamas disarm in exchange for a phased Israeli military withdrawal and the transfer of governance to a technocratic Palestinian committee backed by an international security force, declaring that Israeli troops will not leave until Hamas is 'genuinely disarmed.'
Netanyahu rejects US Gaza roadmap, demanding Hamas disarmament before Israeli withdrawal
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected a 15-point US-brokered plan for Gaza that would have seen Hamas disarm in exchange for a phased Israeli military withdrawal and the transfer of governance to a technocratic Palestinian committee backed by an international security force, declaring that Israeli troops will not leave until Hamas is 'genuinely disarmed.'
Since US President Donald Trump announced his peace plan for Gaza, Israel has continued near-daily attacks in the territory and now maintains military control of more than 70 percent of the Strip, according to the article. An Israeli-imposed buffer zone, referred to as the 'Yellow Line,' has confined Palestinians to smaller areas.
Netanyahu's declaration came weeks before Israeli elections. The leader of the Likud party faces multiple corruption charges dating back to 2019.
The Gaza Government Media Office issued a statement describing the rejection as 'a clear and explicit coup against the negotiation path and its outcomes' that 'deliberately obstructs the path to calm.' The office added that Netanyahu's statement proves Israel 'takes the negotiation path as a false political cover to buy time, pass its destructive projects, and continue the war of genocide against defenceless civilians.'
Hamas, in a separate statement, said it remained committed to the diplomatic process under the US-led Board of Peace and International Stabilization Force, and called on 'the mediators, the guarantors, and the Board of Peace to assume their responsibilities, ensure the commitment of all parties to what was agreed upon, and prevent any breaches or violations that would disrupt the implementation path or undermine the ceasefire agreement.'
Egypt's Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty warned that forced displacement of Gaza's population remains a live possibility, stating that so-called voluntary displacement 'cannot be considered voluntary if they create conditions that make life inside the Strip impossible.' He described any such displacement as a 'red line' for Egypt, Arab, and Islamic countries, and said Egypt 'will not accept and will not allow' it to occur. He also criticised the failure to reach the minimum target of 600 aid trucks entering Gaza daily under the first phase of the agreement.
Gaza-based political analyst Eyad al-Qarra said Netanyahu's declaration extinguished recent optimism and raised fears of resumed military operations, including 'assassination operations, bombing operations and targeting operations near the yellow areas.' Al-Qarra warned that if mediators fail to pressure Israel, the outcome could be 'the worst option, which is announcing practically the end of these negotiations.'
Middle East politics expert Mahjoob Zweiri argued that Netanyahu's insistence on full disarmament before any withdrawal is 'an impossible condition by design,' saying Israel 'knows deeply that the issue of ending weapons in an environment like the environment of Gaza or even Lebanon is almost an impossible matter,' citing the absence of a weapons database and a trusted neutral party. Zweiri said Netanyahu's underlying goal is to prevent 'any return to a functional Palestinian society' and to transform 'Gaza into an area unfit for life.' He also predicted 'an expected diplomatic storm' and 'a kind of diplomatic clash' between Netanyahu and Trump.
Israeli affairs expert Nihad Abu Ghosh argued that Israeli officials had known the plan's details all along but calculated Hamas would reject it, and that Israel's core objective is to preserve 'the option of displacement.' He said Netanyahu wants to make his refusal 'a restriction on any future Israeli government.'
Analysts including Adel Sheded and Suleiman Bisharat attributed the timing of Netanyahu's rejection in part to domestic political considerations. Sheded said Netanyahu 'was waiting for this opportunity to say a big no of this size to President Trump in order to control the debate, the propaganda and the election campaign with it,' and argued Netanyahu wants to prove to Israeli voters that he alone can refuse US pressure. Bisharat said Netanyahu 'wanted to flip the table in all files,' using Gaza as a foundation to shape broader regional negotiations and secure his standing with right-wing Israeli voters.
- No response or statement from the US government or the Trump administration regarding Netanyahu's rejection is included in the source.
- The specific date on which Netanyahu made his declaration is not stated.
- The source does not specify when the Israeli elections are scheduled beyond describing them as occurring in October.
- The current status or official response of the US-led Board of Peace and International Stabilization Force to Netanyahu's rejection is not reported.
- No details are provided about the specific corruption charges Netanyahu faces or the current stage of those legal proceedings.
- The source does not state how or whether other parties to the ceasefire — such as Qatar — have responded to Netanyahu's declaration.
- The total casualty figures or humanitarian conditions in Gaza at the time of the report are not included.
- No Israeli government official other than Netanyahu is quoted or cited to confirm, elaborate, or contest the characterisations of Israeli intentions offered by the analysts.
Read the original at Al Jazeera English