Netanyahu rejects US Gaza plan, vows no pullout until Hamas disarms

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has explicitly rejected a 15-point Gaza plan, which he stated was endorsed by Hamas, vowing that Israeli forces will not withdraw until the militant group is "genuinely disarmed."

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Israel rejects the 15-point document.

Netanyahu's firm stance came during a cabinet meeting on Sunday, signaling a direct opposition to a US-led initiative that has been gradually escalating in criticism from his right-wing base ahead of elections. The plan, a component of a US-led ceasefire announced in October, proposed that Hamas would surrender its weapons to a nascent Palestinian governing body. This would occur in tandem with an Israeli withdrawal, an idea Israel has adamantly rejected.

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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.”

"Israel rejects the 15-point document," Netanyahu declared, emphasizing that 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 stressed the need for "real disarmament, not fictitious disarmament," indicating a deep skepticism about Hamas's willingness to fully relinquish its arms.

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We are talking about real disarmament, not fictitious disarmament.

While acknowledging ongoing discussions with the United States, Netanyahu indicated that Israel would assert its position on unacceptable aspects of the plan. "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," he stated. The prime minister also reiterated his long-held position, stating, "As long as I am prime minister, no Palestinian state will be established, not in Gaza and not in the West Bank."

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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.