Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu explicitly rejected a proposal to disarm Hamas that President Donald Trump announced ten days ago.
“Israel does not accept the 15-point document,” Netanyahu told members of the Israeli cabinet on Sunday. The military “will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is disarmed … it means heavy weaponry, lighter weaponry, all weaponry.”
He continued, “And we are talking about genuine disarmament, not fictitious disarmament. [The US] have ideas, some of which are acceptable to us and some of which are unacceptable to us.”
Netanyahu was referring to a plan to disarm Hamas that was announced by Trump last month. “Today, the Board of Peace reached a HISTORIC agreement for the COMPLETE DISARMAMENT of Hamas and all other armed groups in Gaza,” the President wrote on Truth Social Thursday. “This agreement is a critical step towards Gaza finally being governed by a new Palestinian government that will work closely with the Board of Peace to help the Palestinian people.”
Hamas says it is willing to follow the roadmap in Trump’s plan, and will disarm after Israel withdraws from Gaza. On Sunday, a top Hamas official called on the US to force Israel to comply with the agreement.
“We expect the mediators and the US guarantor to press Netanyahu and his government to adhere to the roadmap and not obstruct the process for internal political and electoral reasons, while continuing to jeopardize the region’s security and stability,” Basem Naim told Reuters.
In October, Hamas and Israel agreed to a ceasefire brokered by Trump. The deal established the Board of Peace. Under the pact, Hamas released all captive Israelis. Israel agreed to halt attacks on Gaza, allow aid shipments, and eventually withdraw from the Strip.
However, Israel has continued to attack the Strip and expand its control of the region.
