Netanyahu rejects Trump's 15-point Gaza plan, insists on Hamas disarmament before withdrawal

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly rejected President Trump's 15-point Gaza peace proposal on Saturday, declaring that Israeli forces will not withdraw from Gaza until Hamas is completely disarmed. The rejection marks a direct collision between Netanyahu and the Trump administration just weeks before Israeli elections set for October.

At a Cabinet meeting, Netanyahu stated, per NBC News: "Israel rejects the 15-point document. I have heard people saying, 'You didn't say that.' So here I am saying it again." He elaborated on the disarmament requirement, according to NBC: "The IDF will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is disarmed" and specified "When I say Hamas must be disarmed, I mean heavy weapons, lighter weapons, all weapons. We are talking about genuine disarmament, not a fictitious one."

Trump's Board of Peace, which the president created to oversee Gaza negotiations, set out the 15-point plan last month calling for phased withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza alongside disarmament of Hamas, per NBC reporting. Trump had touted the plan as a breakthrough, stating that Hamas agreed to lay down arms. Hamas, by contrast, conditioned disarmament on Israeli withdrawal and cessation of hostilities, and said laying down heavy weapons would come later conditional on establishment of a Palestinian state, according to NBC.

Netanyahu also reaffirmed a longstanding position, saying per NBC: "as long as I am prime minister, there will be no Palestinian state." The statement underscores a core tension in the negotiations, since Trump's plan contemplates Palestinian statehood as part of broader reconstruction.

Hamas responded by reaffirming its commitment to the roadmap. A Hamas official told BBC on Sunday the group "reaffirms its commitment" to the agreement and is ready "to engage seriously and responsibly in implementing" the 15-point plan, and called on mediators to ensure "that all parties comply with what has been agreed." A senior Hamas official told NBC the group expects mediators and the U.S. to "exert pressure" on Netanyahu to abide by the roadmap and "prevent him from obstructing the process for domestic political and electoral considerations."

Netanyahu faces a domestic political battle for survival ahead of October elections, with the status of Gaza and Iran conflicts likely to prove pivotal, per NBC reporting. Far-right finance minister Bezalel Smotrich welcomed his announcement, saying per NBC: "I congratulate the Prime Minister for responding to our demand and clarifying unequivocally." Palestinian Legislative Council member Mohammad Dahlan countered that Netanyahu's announcement "represents a challenge, contempt, and deception of the American administration and President Trump's team," adding that Washington "now realizes that Netanyahu is an obstacle to achieving security and stability," according to NBC.

The White House did not immediately comment on Netanyahu's remarks, per NBC reporting. Netanyahu said regarding ongoing talks with Washington: "We are currently discussing this issue with the Americans. They have ideas; some of them are acceptable to us and some are not, and we know how to stand firm on these matters," per NBC. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty "emphasized the necessity for all parties to fulfill their commitments and refrain from taking any actions that could hinder the implementation process or undermine the progress achieved," according to NBC.

The backdrop to this rupture is a conflict that has killed over 73,000 people in Gaza since October 7, 2023, according to the enclave's health officials, including over 1,200 people since a ceasefire began in October, per NBC. Israel said it launched its war in response to the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, in which around 1,200 people were killed and 251 others taken hostage, per NBC reporting. According to the UN, about 1.9 million people, or 90 percent of Gaza's population, have been displaced in the territory since the war started, per BBC reporting. Despite agreeing to halt attacks last October, Israel has continued its deadly strikes on Gaza, per NBC, and recovery operations concluded at the Karam Building on Saturday after 19 dead bodies were found under the rubble, according to Gaza civil defense. Israel and Hamas both regularly accuse the other of breaching the ceasefire, per NBC.