Netanyahu rejects Hamas disarmament proposal touted by Trump

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu firmly rejected a proposal from US-backed mediators seeking to disarm Hamas, reinforcing his stance after expressing reservations about the idea of Israel gradually withdrawing from Gaza. Speaking to his weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday, Netanyahu stated, "Israel does not accept the 15-point document."

Initially, he used a Hebrew term that could be interpreted as either "reject" or "rule out." Netanyahu emphasized that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) would not carry out any withdrawal from Gaza until Hamas was truly disarmed and continues to neutralize threats against Israeli forces and citizens. He was reacting to the "roadmap" published by the Board of Peace, an international group responsible for executing US President Donald Trump’s post-war strategy for the devastated Palestinian region.

President Trump endorsed the roadmap as a "historic agreement" and "major milestone." The US Embassy in Jerusalem has not yet issued a comment. Hamas has only provided a tentative agreement to the roadmap, agreeing to hand over its heavy weapons to a future Gaza administration, contingent upon Israeli withdrawals and the establishment of a Palestinian state.

The roadmap suggests the new administration would enable individual Palestinians to retain their small arms. Trump originally envisioned Israeli troops and tanks leaving Gaza entirely and the potential for future statehood, positioning these as outcomes of complete demilitarization and post-Hamas stabilization. Since October's ceasefire, limited diplomatic progress has been made as the Israeli army has pushed beyond armistice lines, confronting a diminishing Hamas-controlled area housing approximately 2 million Palestinians.

In October, Netanyahu aimed for re-election, viewing Israel's ongoing control over Gaza as a partial triumph. Far-right members of Netanyahu’s coalition criticized the roadmap, with one calling it a "bloodshed map." Netanyahu's party leader, Bezalel Smotrich, backed the prime minister's clarification. The Board of Peace's chief diplomat, Nickolay Mladenov, met with Netanyahu this week, after which the consortium stated that IDF withdrawal beyond the Yellow Line would happen only after disarming Hamas.

Hamas expressed a desire for clarification from the Board of Peace. Following the Mladenov visit, there was a temporary pause in Israeli air strikes against Hamas, which had killed dozens of civilians, signaling Netanyahu's willingness to avoid jeopardizing diplomacy. Additionally, the Board of Peace reported that experts were collaborating to plan temporary housing for displaced Palestinians, an interim step before permanent reconstruction, which Mladenov asserts would depend on Hamas disarming first.

Meanwhile, Netanyahu's office reported ongoing preparations for a tent city funded by the United Arab Emirates in an area cleared by the IDF of Hamas and weaponry.