Israel rejects Trump’s 15-point Gaza plan, Netanyahu says
By SCN News Desk
JERUSALEM, Aug 9 (SCN NEWS) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that Israel had rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s 15-point plan for Gaza, insisting Israeli forces would not withdraw from the territory until Hamas had fully disarmed.
The declaration puts Netanyahu publicly at odds with Washington over how to advance the next phase of the Gaza ceasefire and reconstruction process, even as the Israeli leader said discussions with the United States were continuing.
“Israel does not accept the 15-point document,” Netanyahu told a cabinet meeting, according to reports of his remarks.
He said Israel would not carry out a military withdrawal until Hamas was “genuinely” disarmed, arguing that any arrangement must cover the group’s full arsenal rather than a partial or symbolic handover of weapons.
The Trump-backed proposal calls for Hamas to disarm as Israeli troops withdraw and for an international stabilization force to take a greater role in Gaza. The dispute between Israel and the U.S.-backed framework centers heavily on the timing and conditions attached to those steps.
Netanyahu insists on Hamas disarmament first
Netanyahu said Israel remained in discussions with Washington about Hamas’ disarmament but would not accept an arrangement that failed to meet Israeli security demands.
His position differs from the sequencing envisaged by the U.S.-backed plan, under which Israeli withdrawal and Hamas disarmament would proceed as part of a broader transition.
Hamas has said it remains committed to the roadmap negotiated through mediators in Cairo, but the group has stopped short of accepting the complete disarmament demanded by Netanyahu.
Senior Hamas official Basem Naim said mediators and Washington should pressure the Israeli government to adhere to the agreed roadmap.
The disagreement threatens to stall efforts to move beyond the fragile ceasefire toward a more permanent political and security arrangement for Gaza.
Netanyahu pushes back against Washington
Netanyahu also sought to demonstrate that Israel could disagree with its most important military and diplomatic ally.
The Israeli leader praised his relationship with Trump while making clear that his government would reject U.S. proposals it considered incompatible with Israeli security interests.
The disagreement is politically sensitive for both leaders.
Trump has pushed for progress toward ending the Gaza conflict, while Netanyahu is campaigning ahead of Israel’s election scheduled for October 27 and faces pressure from far-right members of his governing coalition opposed to concessions over Gaza.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich welcomed Netanyahu’s rejection of the 15-point document and has argued against rebuilding Gaza before Hamas has been dismantled.
Israel has scaled back Gaza operations
Israel has reduced military operations in Gaza in recent days as diplomatic efforts intensified.
Reuters reported that the reduction followed a meeting between Netanyahu and Nikolay Mladenov, the Gaza envoy for Trump’s Board of Peace, which oversees the ceasefire framework.
But the dispute over disarmament and withdrawal remains unresolved.
Israeli forces currently control about two-thirds of Gaza, Reuters reported, while large numbers of Palestinians remain displaced after years of fighting and destruction.
Netanyahu also reiterated on Sunday his opposition to the creation of a Palestinian state, saying he would not permit one to be established while he remained prime minister.
Hamas and Israel remain divided over sequencing
At the heart of the dispute is a question that has repeatedly complicated Gaza negotiations: which side acts first?
Netanyahu wants Hamas genuinely disarmed before Israeli forces withdraw.
Hamas wants Israeli military action halted and Israeli forces withdrawn as part of the process before completing any weapons handover.
The Trump-backed plan attempts to link those steps within a broader framework involving international supervision and post-war administration.
Unless that sequencing dispute can be resolved, implementation of the plan could remain stalled despite pressure from Washington and mediators.
The latest disagreement marks a significant test for Trump’s efforts to turn the existing ceasefire into a longer-term settlement after years of war in Gaza