Israel rejects Trump's 15-point plan for Gaza, Netanyahu says

Israel's PM says its military will not pull-out from Gaza until Hamas is "genuinely" disarmed.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dismissed US President Donald Trump's 15-point plan for Gaza, asserting that a military withdrawal from the territory will not occur until Hamas is genuinely disarmed. The proposal, outlined by Trump's Board of Peace last month, called for the complete disarmament of Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza.

However, Hamas has stated that the transfer of its heavy weapons would only be possible if Israel halted all forms of aggression and withdrew its forces from Gaza. Despite agreeing to an initial ceasefire in Gaza last October, Israel has continued to launch strikes in the region. Netanyahu informed a cabinet meeting on Sunday that Israel rejects the 15-point document and will not initiate any withdrawal until Hamas is genuinely disarmed, adding that the military will continue to counter threats against its forces and citizens.

The US president announced the peace plan last month, following Hamas's acceptance of the disarmament proposal. However, Netanyahu emphasized that Hamas's disarmament must be genuine, not a mere "fictitious" gesture. With Israeli elections approaching just months later, Netanyahu is unlikely to make concessions, signaling another setback for Trump's Gaza peace plan, which was announced in September of the previous year.

Written by urgent.news from BBC World's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.