Netanyahu says he has ‘disagreements’ with Trump on Gaza plan
Netanyahu says he has ‘disagreements’ with Trump on Gaza plan Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says there are disagreements between him and US President Donald Trump regarding the recent Gaza agreement. "There are disagreements with President Trump that I don’t hide regarding the recent agreement with Hamas," he said after meeting with lead envoy for Trump’s Board of Peace, Nickolay…
US President Donald Trump's "Board of Peace" has stated that Israel's withdrawal from Gaza would only commence once Hamas has completely disarmed, following objections from the Israeli leader. Two members of Netanyahu's security cabinet had urged a vote to abandon the deal championed by Trump after the board released a text calling for phased Israeli withdrawal.
Netanyahu's office raised concerns to the United States, after Trump hailed the Hamas' weapons handover as a "major milestone" on Friday. Nickolay Mladenov, the high representative for Gaza under the Board of Peace, met with Netanyahu for what he acknowledged was challenging negotiations. However, the board said they had reached a "common understanding of the shared objectives" with Israel.
Israel's withdrawal beyond the "Yellow Line", which demarcates the area under Hamas control, would only occur after complete weapon decommissioning, as per Hamas' commitment to the mediators. Even if Israel were to withdraw under the plan, it would still maintain control of much of Gaza under a Trump-led October ceasefire. Hamas affirmed on Monday they were sticking to "what was agreed upon regarding the second phase of the ceasefire agreement, including the commitments of all parties."
Israel had objected to the board's Thursday text proposing a phased withdrawal within the territory and an immediate cessation of Israeli strikes in Gaza. The version made public did not reflect Israel's positions, according to the prime minister's office spokesman, Doron Spielman. Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich demanded an immediate new cabinet vote on the Gaza plan, stating the text was "completely different" to the one presented to Netanyahu's security cabinet.
The Israeli government and Hamas have been at odds since the October 7, 2023, massacre by Hamas against Israel, which triggered a devastating conflict. Trump's stance on the issue has caused tension between him and Netanyahu, who is facing a re-election campaign in October.
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