Netanyahu Rejects Trump Gaza Plan, Demands Hamas Disarmament

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared on Sunday that Israel rejects the 15-point Gaza peace plan proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump's Board of Peace and will not withdraw its forces from the Gaza Strip until Hamas is completely disarmed. The statement, made during a Cabinet meeting in Jerusalem, sets a firm condition that clashes with the phased approach outlined in the American proposal.

Netanyahu emphasized that disarmament must be total and verifiable. "When I say Hamas must be disarmed, I mean heavy weapons, lighter weapons, all weapons. We are talking about genuine disarmament, not a fictitious one," he said. The prime minister stated that the Israel Defense Forces will continue to operate to eliminate threats and will not carry out any withdrawal until this condition is met.

The rejection directly challenges the framework announced by Trump last month, which he hailed as a breakthrough. That plan, developed with the Board of Peace and mediated by Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, called for a phased Israeli withdrawal alongside Hamas disarmament. According to the proposal, an international stabilization force would work with a new Palestinian police force until a...