Netanyahu rejects US-led Gaza plan endorsed by Hamas

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has explicitly rejected a US-led Gaza plan that Hamas had endorsed, signaling a widening rift with President Donald Trump.

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Israel rejects the 15-point document.

Netanyahu declared that Israel "rejects the 15-point document," referring to a plan Hamas approved in late July. He asserted 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." This firm stance was communicated at a cabinet meeting.

Despite calling Trump "our greatest friend in the White House," Netanyahu made it clear he is prepared to challenge the U.S. president. Israel is presenting its objections to the Gaza plan to the United States, with Netanyahu stating, "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."

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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."

The prime minister, Israel's longest-serving leader, faces a challenging election on October 27, where polls show him either tied or trailing. The Gaza plan is reportedly unpopular with his right-wing base and far-right cabinet members, who have urged him to reject it outright. Hamas, meanwhile, has called on the U.S. to pressure Netanyahu, with Bassem Naim of Hamas's political bureau stating, "We expect the mediators and the American guarantor to pressure Netanyahu and his government to adhere to the roadmap and not obstruct the process for internal political and electoral reasons."

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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.

This divergence follows previous disagreements between Netanyahu and Trump, notably concerning Iran. While Trump has recently sought a ceasefire with Iran, Netanyahu has maintained a hard line, vowing that "as long as I am prime minister, Iran will not have nuclear weapons." The prime minister also recently ordered strikes on Lebanon in response to alleged ceasefire violations by Hezbollah, even as U.S.-mediated talks were underway.

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We expect the mediators and the American guarantor to pressure Netanyahu and his government to adhere to the roadmap and not obstruct the process for internal political and electoral reasons.