Netanyahu rejects US Gaza plan, vows no pullout until Hamas disarms

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has firmly rejected a Gaza plan endorsed by US President Donald Trump, vowing to maintain a military presence in the region until Hamas is "genuinely" disarmed. The plan, which was endorsed in late July by Hamas, requires Hamas to surrender weapons to a new Palestinian governing body. In a cabinet meeting on Sunday, Netanyahu explicitly stated that "Israel rejects the 15-point document" and that Israel's military will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is disarmed and continues to prevent threats against its forces and citizens.

The US-led ceasefire, announced in October, has reduced but not ended Israeli operations in Gaza. The plan stipulated that Israel would begin pulling out forces in tandem with the disarmament of Hamas. However, Netanyahu and his far-right allies have been pushing for a new cabinet vote to end the Gaza plan, arguing that the idea of complete disarmament is not realistically achievable.

Netanyahu emphasized that Israel is still in discussions with the United States about its objections, stating, "They have ideas; some of them are acceptable to us and some are not, and we know how to stand our ground on these matters."