Netanyahu rejects Trump’s Gaza plan

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected Donald Trump’s 15-point Gaza plan, saying Israeli troops will not pull out until Hamas is “genuinely disarmed.”

Netanyahu told his cabinet on Tuesday that Israel rejects the plan in its current form and will only withdraw forces once Hamas surrenders all weapons. The move follows days of mounting pressure from his right-wing coalition partners ahead of national elections in October.

Trump unveiled the plan late last month, calling it a breakthrough. It calls for Hamas to disarm in stages in exchange for a full Israeli military pullback and the handover of Gaza to an independent Palestinian committee backed by an international security force. The U.S.-led Board of Peace, chaired by Trump, is overseeing the process under a UN Security Council resolution. Trump said Israeli withdrawals would happen as Hamas hands over weapons.

Yet Netanyahu’s rejection has thrown a wrench into the plan. He said Israel is discussing changes with Washington but will not compromise on security demands. Hamas, meanwhile, has tied its own disarmament to an end to Israeli military operations in Gaza. The militant group’s negotiators say they will only comply if Israel keeps its side of the deal.

Since October 2023, Israel’s war in Gaza has killed more than 73,300 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities. Even after a U.S.-brokered ceasefire in late 2025, Israeli strikes have continued, killing over 1,200 more people. With elections looming, Netanyahu faces a tough race and is under intense pressure from hardliners to reject any concessions. His stance risks prolonging the conflict and delaying reconstruction in Gaza.