JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday rejected a 15-point U.S.-backed plan for Gaza, saying Israeli forces would not withdraw from the Palestinian enclave until Hamas had been fully and verifiably disarmed, in a public rebuff to President Donald Trump’s efforts to advance the next phase of his peace initiative.
“Israel does not accept the 15-point document,” Netanyahu said at a cabinet meeting, according to reports of his remarks. He said the Israeli military would not withdraw until Hamas was “genuinely” disarmed, including heavy and lighter weapons, and that Israel would continue to act against threats to its forces and citizens.
The disagreement centers on the sequencing and implementation of the U.S.-backed framework. Trump announced on July 30 that his Board of Peace had reached an agreement in Cairo involving Hamas and mediators from Egypt, Qatar and Turkey aimed at the disarmament of Hamas and other armed groups, the establishment of a new Palestinian administration and reconstruction of Gaza. Israel had previously expressed reservations over the proposal.
The broader U.S. framework calls for Gaza to be demilitarized and governed through a transitional Palestinian administration, with an international stabilization force supporting security and reconstruction. The White House has said the Board of Peace is responsible for helping implement the plan and securing a comprehensive demilitarization agreement.
Netanyahu said Israel was discussing the issue with Washington and that some U.S. proposals were acceptable while others were not. He also reiterated his opposition to the establishment of a Palestinian state, saying that under his leadership one would not be established in Gaza or the West Bank.
Hamas has maintained that it is committed to the roadmap but has sought Israeli military withdrawal and an end to attacks as conditions for moving forward. A Hamas political bureau member, Bassem Naim, said the group expected mediators and the United States to press Netanyahu not to obstruct the process, according to reports.
The rejection creates a new obstacle for Washington’s effort to move from the ceasefire and disarmament discussions toward Israeli withdrawal, Palestinian governance and reconstruction. U.S. officials and the Board of Peace have continued efforts to advance the framework, but Netanyahu’s latest position makes clear that Israel does not accept the proposed terms in their current form.
