Netanyahu rejects BoP Gaza withdrawal plan until Hamas disarms, turns down White House draft

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has firmly rejected the idea of prematurely withdrawing Israeli forces from their current positions in Gaza, insisting that the IDF will only retreat once Hamas has completely disarmed. In a video posted to his Facebook page, Netanyahu stated, "We won’t retreat from the current lines until Hamas lays down all of its arms."

He emphasized that IDF troops will take all necessary measures to safeguard themselves, the territory, and citizens. Additionally, Netanyahu mentioned that the White House had provided Israel with a draft proposal concerning Hamas's disarmament, but affirmed that Israel had not accepted it and had returned it with comments.

A meeting between Netanyahu and Nickolay Mladenov, Director-General of the Board of Peace (BoP) and High Representative for Gaza, aimed at initiating a 14-day ceasefire to commence Hamas's demilitarization was described as "constructive and detailed." Both parties agreed on the ultimate goal in Gaza, which is the complete decommissioning of weapons and transitioning from rule by the gun to civilian governance.

The BoP reiterated that the IDF's withdrawal from Gaza would only occur after all weapons and military infrastructure, including light and heavy weapons, and tunnels, are decommissioned in Gaza. Prior to this meeting, Israel had previously declined the BoP's request last week to remove IDF forces from the Gaza Strip.