Netanyahu breaks silence on Trump’s 15-point plan for Gaza

A high-stakes feud has opened between Washington and Jerusalem after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected Donald Trump’s 15-point plan for Gaza, maintaining strategic presence until Hamas is actually disarmed.

According to Trump’s Board of Peace announced last month, an agreement was reached for the removal or reduction of military forces and weapons in designated areas. Hamas said handing over weapons was conditional on Israel ending “all forms of aggression” and pulling out its forces from Gaza.

Notably, Israel has continued strikes on Gaza since a formal agreement to pause hostilities in the territory last October.

In this connection, Netanyahi said at a cabinet meeting on Sunday: “ Israel rejects the 15-point document.”

"The Israeli military will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is genuinely disarmed and will continue to thwart threats against our forces and our citizens, he continued.”

Trump announced a historic milestone for enduring peace and stability after Hamas said it had accepted a demilitarization strategy for Gaza; however Netanyahu asserted that Hamas had to disharm before Israel fell back from Gaza adding it could not be a “ fictitious disarmament.”

He is in key talks with US officials about how to move forward, indicating another setback for Trump’s Gaza peace plan which was announced in September last year. 

Nonetheless, the plan comprises the establishment of the Board of Peace to observe the disarmament of Hamas, ensure the departure of Israeli troops and facilitate the reconstruction of Gaza.