Israel Says No Gaza Pullout Until Hamas Disarms, Rejects Trump’s Peace Plan

With Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu making it clear that Israeli forces will not withdraw until Hamas fully disarms. “Israel rejects the 15-point document. The IDF will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is genuinely disarmed and will continue to thwart threats against our forces and our citizens,” Netanyahu said at a Cabinet meeting, referring to the Israel Defence Forces.

Netanyahu’s remarks came a day after Hamas said it was ready to move forward with the US-backed proposal and urged Israel to implement the agreement.

Hamas told Trump’s Board of Peace that it was prepared to enter the next phase of the plan, under which its operatives would surrender their weapons to a proposed Palestinian governing committee tasked with overseeing Gaza.

“Hamas and other factions have confirmed to mediators their readiness to begin implementing the agreement and move to the second phase, provided it receives Israeli approval and that Israel begins implementing the agreement,” a Hamas official told AFP on Saturday.

The opposing positions have raised fresh questions over the future of Trump’s peace framework, with the issue of Hamas’ disarmament and an Israeli withdrawal remaining major points of contention.

The latest standoff follows a joint statement issued days earlier by the United Arab Emirates and seven other Muslim-majority countries, which strongly criticised Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.

The countries warned that Israel’s actions could undermine Trump’s proposed framework for ending the conflict and achieving a lasting settlement in the Gaza Strip.