Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s 15-point Board of Peace plan for Gaza, insisting that Israel will not withdraw from the territory until Hamas is fully disarmed.
Netanyahu’s position presents a major challenge to efforts aimed at securing a lasting settlement in Gaza, placing the complete disarmament of Hamas at the centre of Israel’s conditions for any withdrawal.
NETANYAHU DRAWS HARD LINE ON HAMAS
According to Netanyahu, Israel’s military presence in Gaza cannot end while Hamas retains its weapons and military capabilities. He maintained that Hamas must fully disarm before Israel can consider withdrawing its forces.
The Israeli position reflects its longstanding demand that Hamas no longer be capable of launching attacks against Israel. Netanyahu has repeatedly identified the dismantling of Hamas’ military infrastructure as a central objective of Israel’s war strategy.
TRUMP’S PEACE INITIATIVE FACES OBSTACLE
President Donald Trump’s proposed 15-point plan was presented as an attempt to establish a framework for ending the conflict and creating a new political and security arrangement for Gaza.
However, Israel’s rejection of key elements of the proposal, particularly any withdrawal that occurs before Hamas’ complete disarmament, could make negotiations considerably more difficult.
The development also places renewed attention on the relationship between Washington and Jerusalem as the Trump administration seeks to shape a pathway toward an end to the Gaza conflict.
HAMAS DISARMAMENT REMAINS CENTRAL ISSUE
The question of what happens to Hamas’ weapons and military structures has remained one of the most difficult issues in efforts to end the conflict.
Israel argues that allowing Hamas to retain its military capabilities would leave the country vulnerable to future attacks. Hamas and other Palestinian actors, however, have historically opposed arrangements that require unilateral surrender of their weapons without broader political and security guarantees.
The disagreement has therefore become one of the principal obstacles to establishing a lasting post-war arrangement for Gaza.
FUTURE OF GAZA REMAINS UNCERTAIN
Beyond the question of disarmament and Israeli withdrawal, negotiations over Gaza involve several other major issues, including governance, security arrangements, humanitarian assistance, reconstruction and the future role of Palestinian political institutions.
Netanyahu’s latest position indicates that Israel intends to maintain a firm security threshold before agreeing to a full military withdrawal.
For Trump’s initiative to succeed, negotiators may have to bridge significant differences between Israel’s demand for complete Hamas disarmament and the broader political and security arrangements being proposed for Gaza.
As diplomatic efforts continue, the international community will be watching closely to determine whether the competing demands can be reconciled and whether a sustainable pathway toward peace can emerge from the negotiations. OGM News will continue to update you on subsequent development.
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