Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has formally rejected US President Donald Trump’s 15-point peace plan for Gaza, asserting that no military withdrawal will occur until Hamas is genuinely disarmed. The announcement, delivered during a cabinet meeting on Sunday, deals a significant setback to the diplomatic initiative designed to bring an end to the conflict.
The rejection comes despite recent claims of diplomatic progress. Last month, Trump’s Board of Peace announced it had secured an agreement for the complete disarmament of Hamas and other armed groups operating in the Gaza Strip. Just over a week ago, Trump celebrated the development as a monumental step toward lasting peace and security, highlighting that Hamas had agreed to disarm for the first time, on the condition that Israeli forces withdraw from the territory. However, Netanyahu made it clear on Sunday that such a sequence would not happen under his leadership, insisting that Hamas must disarm first and that the process must not be a fictitious disarmament but a real one.
Hamas, meanwhile, has maintained that surrendering its heavy weaponry is strictly contingent on Israel ending all forms of aggression and fully withdrawing its military forces from Gaza. Following Netanyahu's remarks, a Hamas official stated on Sunday that the group reaffirms its commitment to the agreement and is ready to engage seriously and responsibly in implementing the 15-point plan. The official called on international mediators to ensure that all parties comply with what has been agreed.
First announced in September of last year, Trump's peace plan proposed the creation of the Board of Peace to oversee its implementation, alongside the disarmament of Hamas, the withdrawal of Israeli troops, and the reconstruction of Gaza. Because any actual disarmament and withdrawal of forces would likely need to be phased, Netanyahu stated he is currently in discussions with US officials about how to proceed. Netanyahu remarked that they have ideas, noting that some are acceptable to Israel while others are not, adding that his government knows how to stand its ground on these matters.
Netanyahu’s public rejection of the plan highlights the complex political environment he faces. While he is unhappy with the proposal, he has taken time to officially state his opposition, likely to avoid upsetting Israel's closest international ally. Furthermore, with Israeli elections only a few months away, Netanyahu is under intense pressure from right-wing members of his governing coalition to maintain a hardline stance and avoid making concessions. Far-right factions within the coalition have demanded a new cabinet vote to terminate the Gaza plan altogether, with National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir dismissing the current draft as not acceptable.
Defending the initiative, Nickolay Mladenov, a senior diplomat tasked with implementing Trump’s peace plan, stated on Sunday that discussions are ongoing in hopes of reaching a positive outcome. Speaking to Israel's Channel 12, Mladenov urged Israel to give the process a chance, describing the plan as the only way forward to ensure there is no repeat of the October 7, 2023 attack. Mladenov explained that the plan is built on a process that is verifiable and reversible, meaning it can be stopped at any stage, and was designed with a clear-eyed understanding of the challenges ahead. He also emphasized that Israel would not be required to withdraw its forces until it is verified that Hamas is taking active steps to disarm.
The diplomatic gridlock persists alongside ongoing violence on the ground. Despite agreeing to an initial ceasefire last October, Israel has continued to conduct military strikes across Gaza. On Tuesday, large crowds gathered in Gaza City for a mass funeral for 112 people, predominantly women and children, who were killed in an Israeli strike on a residential block in late 2023.
The war began following the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people and the abduction of 251 hostages. In response, Israel launched a massive military campaign. According to the United Nations, the conflict has displaced about 1.9 million people, representing roughly 90% of Gaza's population. The health ministry in Gaza reports that more than 73,000 people have been killed since the start of the war, a figure that the United Nations considers reliable.
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