Netanyahu: No Gaza Withdrawal Until Hamas Disarms — 15-Point US Plan Rejected
Israel will not pull troops out of Gaza unless Hamas fully disarms, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, rejecting a 15-point U.S. proposal for the territory.
Netanyahu on Sunday rejected the plan put forward by the Trump administration, insisting that any ceasefire deal must include the complete dismantling of Hamas’s military wing and the return of all remaining hostages [215181][215255]. “Israel rejects the 15-point document,” he said at the start of a cabinet meeting, adding that the military would “not withdraw at” the expense of security [215232].
The prime minister’s remarks came as a senior international envoy, Nickolay Mladenov of the Board of Peace, echoed the same precondition, stating that “nobody is required to do anything – last of all Israel – before we actually have verified steps on the ground” [215197]. Mladenov stressed that Israel’s next move would depend entirely on observable security guarantees, not timelines or diplomatic assurances [215197].
Netanyahu’s rejection marks a rare public split between the Israeli leader and U.S. President Donald Trump over the future of Gaza, where a fragile ceasefire has held since January [215163]. The plan was meant to move the ceasefire process to its next stage, but Israel’s position remains firm: no withdrawal while Hamas remains armed [215232].
Hamas, for its part, has publicly reaffirmed its commitment to completing the second phase of the Gaza plan, signaling readiness to move forward with the agreed-upon timeline [215212]. The core disagreement centers on sequencing — Hamas wants to proceed with the next stage, while Israel demands disarmament before any troop movement [215212].
Egypt, a key mediator in the conflict, has urged all parties to fully respect their commitments to the ceasefire agreement, stressing that the deal’s survival depends on mutual adherence [215110]. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty also emphasized that the roadmap must include a complete Israeli withdrawal and the sustained delivery of humanitarian aid [215208].
With both sides holding firm, the proposed second phase remains stalled, and international efforts to stabilize Gaza face a significant obstacle [215212][215232].