Israel rejects Trump’s 15-point Gaza plan

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected US President Donald Trump’s proposed 15-point plan

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected US President Donald Trump’s proposed 15-point plan for Gaza, insisting that Israel will not withdraw its forces until Hamas is fully and genuinely disarmed.

Netanyahu made the statement during a cabinet meeting on Sunday. He said Israel would not accept any arrangement that allows Hamas to retain its weapons while Israeli troops are required to leave Gaza.

“Israel rejects the 15-point document,” Netanyahu said, adding that the Israeli military would continue operating against threats to its forces and citizens.

The dispute has created another obstacle for Trump’s efforts to establish a lasting ceasefire and political settlement in Gaza.

Trump’s Board of Peace had previously announced that an agreement had been reached on the complete disarmament of Hamas and other armed groups operating in the territory.

Hamas, however, has linked the handover of its heavy weapons to wider conditions. The group has demanded an end to Israeli military operations and a withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.

Netanyahu said disarmament must take place before any Israeli military withdrawal. He rejected the possibility of what he described as a symbolic or “fictitious” disarmament process.

The Israeli premier said his government was discussing the next steps with US officials. He indicated that some American proposals were acceptable to Israel, while others remained unacceptable.

“We know how to stand our ground on these matters,” Netanyahu said.

The disagreement represents a major challenge for Trump’s Gaza initiative, which was presented as a framework for ending the conflict and creating conditions for reconstruction.

The proposed plan includes the disarmament of Hamas, a phased Israeli military withdrawal and the rebuilding of Gaza. It also envisages the creation of an international Board of Peace to oversee implementation of the agreement.

Hamas had previously signalled support for aspects of the disarmament framework. However, the group has maintained that weapons cannot simply be surrendered while Israeli forces remain in Gaza and military operations continue.

Israel, meanwhile, has continued military strikes in Gaza despite the initial ceasefire agreement reached last October.

Netanyahu is also facing political pressure at home. His far-right coalition partners have strongly opposed concessions that could allow Hamas to remain armed or secure a significant Israeli withdrawal.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has rejected the proposed framework and called it unacceptable.

With Israeli elections approaching, Netanyahu faces pressure from both domestic allies and international partners. Any major concession on Gaza could create tensions within his governing coalition.

The latest rejection therefore puts Trump’s peace initiative under renewed pressure. The central disagreement remains over the sequence of events: Hamas wants Israeli forces to withdraw and military action to end before completing disarmament, while Israel insists that Hamas must first surrender its weapons.