Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected a 15-point Gaza peace plan proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump, saying Israel will not withdraw its forces from the Gaza Strip until Hamas is fully disarmed.
Reuters reported that Netanyahu’s position creates a major obstacle to the U.S.-backed roadmap, which envisages the phased disarmament of Hamas, an Israeli military withdrawal and the deployment of an international stabilization force in Gaza.
Netanyahu said Israel does not accept the 15-point document and that its military would not withdraw until Hamas had been genuinely disarmed. He also said Israel would continue taking measures to protect its forces and citizens from security threats.
The Israeli position contrasts with Trump’s recent statements that Hamas had agreed to the framework for disarmament. Hamas has indicated that it is prepared to discuss handing over its weapons as part of a broader political arrangement, but has linked disarmament to an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and other security guarantees.
The proposed U.S. framework includes phased Hamas disarmament, a reciprocal Israeli withdrawal, international verification and the deployment of stabilization forces alongside a new Palestinian security structure.
Netanyahu’s rejection could therefore delay efforts to move the proposal from a framework into implementation. Israeli officials and members of Netanyahu’s far-right coalition have previously expressed reservations about arrangements that could require Israel to withdraw from territory it currently controls.
The disagreement also exposes a central challenge for Washington; securing Israeli acceptance of a withdrawal timetable while obtaining credible commitments from Hamas to surrender its weapons.
For Hamas, disarmament remains closely tied to the terms of any Israeli withdrawal and the broader political future of Gaza. That leaves the two sides with competing conditions that could make implementation of the U.S. proposal difficult.
The dispute comes as the Trump administration faces several overlapping security challenges in the Middle East, including tensions with Iran and efforts to restore commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump has sought diplomatic agreements aimed at reducing regional military tensions, but the disagreement with Netanyahu demonstrates the limits of Washington’s influence even among key regional partners.
