Netanyahu says Israeli forces ‘are not withdrawing from the current lines in Gaza’

Three days after US President Donald Trump announced a deal to disarm Hamas and end the Gaza conflict, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has remained silent on his acceptance. Instead, Israel responded with a surge in airstrikes over the weekend, killing 28 civilians, the highest death toll in weeks. Despite Trump and other Arab nations initially praising the agreement, Netanyahu's stance was relayed through unnamed sources, foreign spokesmen, and political allies who insisted Israel would not withdraw from Gaza before Hamas is fully disarmed. Far-right allies demanded Netanyahu convene the Cabinet to reject the plan.

By Sunday evening, Israeli strikes on Gaza seemed to decrease, but a period of calm lasted only 24 hours. The US envoy for Trump's Board of Peace, Nickolay Mladenov, expressed outrage over the violence, warning that it undermined the disarmament framework and highlighted the obligations of both parties under the White House-brokered ceasefire agreement.

Netanyahu met with Mladenov and a senior US adviser to discuss the situation, but the meeting did not lead to a public shift in his stance. Israel's official statement following the meeting reaffirmed its refusal to withdraw from the current line in Gaza and its intention to prevent any threat to its civilians and soldiers.

Hamas' acceptance of disarmament hinges on Israel's withdrawal from additional territory, which Netanyahu's allies vehemently oppose. A lawmaker from Netanyahu's Likud party dismissed the agreement as meaningless, asserting a refusal to budge from any territory before the October elections. Netanyahu's skepticism about Hamas' intentions and hope that the group would fail to comply fueled the continuation of the strikes.

Despite Trump's disappointment if Israel doesn't comply, Netanyahu remains cautious, hoping Hamas will breach the agreement to legitimize renewed military action.