Israel rejects US-led 15-point Gaza peace plan, says Netanyahu

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected United States President Donald Trump's 15-point plan for Gaza, stating that Israeli forces will not withdraw until Hamas is "genuinely disarmed." The plan, proposed by the US-led Board of Peace, outlined a phased framework for disarmament and reconstruction, with Hamas surrendering weapons in exchange for an Israeli military withdrawal and a new Palestinian governing body. Netanyahu, facing pressure from his right-wing base ahead of elections, insists on complete disarmament before any pull-back, emphasizing the need for "real disarmament, not fictitious disarmament." This rejection creates significant challenges for mediators working on the plan, while Palestinians in Gaza anticipate increased uncertainty.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Sunday that Israel rejects a 15-point Gaza proposal from the Board of Peace. He stated that Israeli forces will not withdraw from Gaza until Hamas is "genuinely disarmed" of all its weapons. While Israel is discussing Hamas disarmament with the United States, Netanyahu emphasized that any agreement must involve the complete surrender of Hamas's arsenal. Hamas, however, remains committed to a roadmap agreed upon with mediators and expects the US and mediators to pressure Israel to adhere to it. Netanyahu also reiterated his opposition to a Palestinian state in Gaza or the West Bank.

Overnight Israeli strikes on Gaza killed at least eight people, hitting residential buildings in Gaza City, Khan Younis, and Deir el-Balah, according to Palestinian officials. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated they were targeting military operatives, reporting the deaths of two Hamas militants, including commanders from elite forces. These strikes occurred on the second consecutive night and followed Hamas's acceptance of a disarmament plan involving the handover of weapons to a US President's Board of Peace. Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen indicated no deal was in place to halt attacks and suggested Israel might need full control of Gaza if Hamas did not disarm, despite the Board of Peace plan for Israeli withdrawal.

A mass funeral was held in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza, for 112 victims, including 40 children, killed in a 2023 Israeli strike. Their remains were recovered more than two years later by Gaza's civil defense from a destroyed residential block in Gaza City. The recovery was delayed due to ongoing Israeli strikes, which have continued despite a ceasefire. The victims were among over 300 killed in the November 22, 2023, attack. Civil defense estimates that 157 people remain missing from that strike, and thousands of remains are believed to be buried under rubble across Gaza.

Thousands gathered in Gaza City for a mass funeral of 112 members of the Abu Shreia and al-Hassaina families. Their remains were recently recovered from rubble nearly three years after an Israeli air attack on November 22, 2023, which destroyed their family compound. The attack killed 14 members of Lara Abu Shreia's immediate family, including her mother and eight siblings. Recovery operations by Palestinian Civil Defence teams were difficult due to the scale of destruction and lack of equipment. Civil Defence spokesperson Mahmoud Basal stated that this was the largest mass funeral in Gaza since the start of the 2023 war. An estimated 8,000 bodies remain beneath destroyed buildings in Gaza.

Palestinians held a mass funeral in Gaza City on Tuesday for 112 bodies recently recovered from the rubble of a 2023 Israeli airstrike. The strike, which occurred on November 22, 2023, flattened a residential block in the Sabra neighborhood, killing over 300 people. While about 40 bodies were recovered shortly after the attack, the majority remained buried. First responders recovered the 112 remains, including 40 children, over the weekend. A fragile ceasefire has allowed for the recovery of bodies from earlier in the war. Approximately 157 bodies are still unaccounted for from this particular strike.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly rejected a 15-point peace plan for Gaza, developed by the Trump administration. Netanyahu stated that Israel will not withdraw from Gaza until Hamas is disarmed of all weaponry, emphasizing a need for genuine disarmament. This marks a rare public disagreement with President Trump. The plan, proposed in July, stipulated Hamas disarmament in exchange for an Israeli military withdrawal and a Palestinian National Committee transition of power. Netanyahu's rejection comes amid ongoing Israeli attacks in Gaza and ahead of upcoming elections, as he seeks to project strength on national security. The head of Trump's Board of Peace maintained the plan is the "only way forward."

US President Donald Trump's "Board of Peace" assured Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Israel's withdrawal from Gaza is contingent upon Hamas' complete disarmament. This assurance followed objections from Netanyahu, whose security cabinet members had advocated for rejecting the deal. Netanyahu's office had expressed concerns to the United States after Trump previously described an agreement for Hamas to surrender weapons to a Palestinian governing committee as a "major milestone." The Board of Peace's initial text had proposed a phased withdrawal by Israel, prompting the security cabinet's push to abandon the plan.

A Board of Peace official, Nikolay Mladenov, met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem to discuss a new disarmament deal with Hamas. The agreement, announced by President Donald Trump, aims for the complete decommissioning of weapons in Gaza and a transition to civilian governance. Mladenov also urged Netanyahu to halt Israeli strikes in Gaza, as the Board of Peace pushes for the implementation of the disarmament plan. Israel had previously expressed "serious security concerns" regarding the agreement and had increased strikes in Gaza, resulting in civilian casualties. The article notes that no airstrikes were recorded in Gaza on the day of the meeting.

Hamas has announced its acceptance of a disarmament plan for Gaza, which includes laying down its arms and an Israeli troop withdrawal. This development, described by US President Donald Trump as a significant step towards peace, is based on a 15-point US-led roadmap and a four-page document seen by the BBC. The plan outlines a phased disarmament process for Hamas and other Palestinian factions, overseen by the Palestinian National Committee and an International Stabilisation Force, with heavy weapons to be stored securely. This disarmament is conditional on Israel fulfilling its commitments under an initial ceasefire agreement. Israel, however, remains skeptical of Hamas's willingness to disarm and insists on no withdrawal until Hamas lays down its weapons. The plan also addresses the future of civil servants employed by Hamas's former government.

Hamas has reportedly reached an agreement to disarm, a significant development that could potentially end the war in Gaza. This agreement is part of a broader road map that requires concessions from Israel, including ending hostilities and withdrawing its troops. The deal, announced by U.S. President Donald Trump, outlines a phased approach where disarmament would be followed by an Israeli withdrawal and the deployment of an International Stabilization Force. However, the implementation faces considerable challenges, as disarmament is a core aspect of Hamas's identity and has been a major sticking point in previous negotiations. Israel has not officially commented but has previously expressed skepticism about Hamas's willingness to disarm. The agreement's guarantors include the U.S., Turkey, Egypt, and Qatar.