Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has officially rejected a 15-point peace plan for Gaza proposed by United States President Donald Trump. During a cabinet meeting on Sunday, the prime minister stated that Israel would not withdraw its military forces from the territory until Hamas is genuinely and fully disarmed. Netanyahu emphasized that the Israeli military intends to continue thwarting threats against its citizens and forces.
The prime minister noted that Israel is currently engaged in direct dialogue with American officials regarding the proposal. “They have ideas, some of which are acceptable to us and some are not acceptable to us, and we know how to stand firm on these things,” Netanyahu said, adding that Israel is actively discussing the core issues with the U.S. administration.
Despite the diplomatic outreach, there has been no immediate response from the White House or Hamas regarding the rejection. The 15-point document, which was endorsed by Hamas last month, was intended to serve as a comprehensive roadmap for peace. President Trump had previously announced the agreement on July 30, describing it as a “historic” move toward lasting security that required the total disarmament of all armed groups in Gaza.
Israel has continued to carry out near-daily deadly attacks across the Gaza Strip since agreeing to a supposed “ceasefire” with Hamas last October. This ongoing military activity has fueled skepticism among experts regarding Israel’s commitment to any long-term truce, as troops continue to strike targets across the enclave.
Last week, the US-led Board of Peace indicated that an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza would only occur after the disarmament of Hamas is complete. This position followed a meeting between the board’s director, Nickolay Mladenov, and Netanyahu, highlighting the significant gap between the board’s expectations and the prime minister’s hardline stance.
Netanyahu further vowed that as long as he remains prime minister, no Palestinian state will be established. He clarified that Israel demands “real disarmament, not fictitious disarmament,” which would necessitate the removal of all weaponry, including lighter arms. The original 15-point plan had focused on heavy weaponry, military production sites, and the group’s tunnel network.
Reporting from Gaza City, Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud noted that the rejection creates significant uncertainty for Palestinians. “The full rejection here puts the sequencing and the steps into question,” Mahmoud stated, emphasizing that the path out of hostilities remains blocked by these conflicting demands.
Al Jazeera’s Nour Odeh, reporting from Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank, observed that Netanyahu’s conditions are “extremely problematic” for the mediators who have spent months attempting to facilitate Hamas’s disarmament. She noted that the board, established by Trump, possesses “very limited power” to advance the plan without Israeli cooperation. “Netanyahu has hit the reset button,” Odeh added.
The humanitarian situation remains dire as the conflict persists. Since the mid-October truce began, more than 1,250 people have been killed and at least 4,120 wounded, with over 800 bodies recovered from the rubble, according to Gaza’s health ministry. The total death toll in Gaza since October 2023 has now surpassed 73,300, with over 174,000 people reported wounded.
He added that Israel is “talking to the Americans about this issue”.
