Last month, former US President Trump announced what he called "a monumental step toward lasting peace and security" after Hamas reportedly accepted a disarmament plan for Gaza. This 15-point plan, introduced in September last year, included the disarmament of Hamas, withdrawal of Israeli troops, reconstruction of Gaza, and the creation of a Board of Peace to oversee implementation.

However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected the plan, stating that Hamas must be genuinely disarmed before Israel withdraws its forces from Gaza. He emphasized that the disarmament cannot be "fictitious."

Netanyahu is currently in discussions with US officials about the way forward, noting, "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."

With Israeli elections approaching in the coming months, Netanyahu faces pressure from his far-right allies to end the Gaza plan. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has dismissed the draft as "not acceptable," calling for a new cabinet vote to halt the plan.

This development signals another setback for Trump's Gaza peace initiative, as Israel maintains a firm stance on security conditions before any troop withdrawal.

Sources