Israel Rejects US Proposal

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly rejected US President Donald Trump's proposal calling for Hamas' disarmament and a phased Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, marking the sharpest public disagreement between the two leaders over the ongoing Gaza conflict.

In a video statement shared on Facebook, Netanyahu said Israel had not accepted the draft proposal presented by the United States, insisting that it did not reflect Israel's position.

"We did not agree to it. It was not our draft," Netanyahu said, adding that Israel had submitted its own comments and amendments to the proposal.

No Withdrawal From Gaza

Netanyahu also made it clear that Israel has no plans to withdraw from Gaza at this stage.

According to the Israeli prime minister, the US administration believes Hamas can be persuaded to disarm and demilitarise the Gaza Strip through negotiations. While Israel is reviewing the proposal, Netanyahu stressed that his government has not endorsed the framework presented by Washington.

His remarks represent the first public confirmation that Israel has formally objected to key elements of the American initiative.

Trump's Peace Proposal

The proposal is part of President Trump's broader Board of Peace initiative aimed at ending the Gaza conflict.

Last week, Trump announced what he described as an in-principle understanding under which Hamas would gradually surrender its weapons in exchange for a phased Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza.

The US president said the arrangement would pave the way for Gaza to be administered by a new Palestinian authority working alongside the Board of Peace, while ensuring Israel's long-term security by preventing the territory from being used for future attacks.

Growing Rift Between Allies

Netanyahu's rejection highlights an emerging policy divide between Washington and Jerusalem over the future of Gaza.

According to US officials, the proposed disarmament-and-withdrawal framework is an extension of Trump's earlier 20-point Gaza peace plan, which Israel had previously accepted in principle.

A senior US official warned last week that President Trump would be "very disappointed" if Israel blocked the latest proposal, arguing that rejecting the framework would undermine commitments already made by the Israeli government.

The disagreement is widely seen as the most significant diplomatic rupture between Trump and Netanyahu since the current conflict began.

Board of Peace Efforts Continue

Following Trump's announcement, Board of Peace Director General Nikolay Mladenov held talks with Netanyahu, urging Israel to suspend military operations in Gaza for two weeks to facilitate negotiations with Hamas.

The Board of Peace later clarified that Israel would only be required to complete its withdrawal after Hamas had fully disarmed.

It also stated that Hamas would be expected to surrender all categories of weapons, including heavy arms, tunnel infrastructure and light firearms, before any final withdrawal took place.

Despite those assurances, Netanyahu's latest remarks indicate that Israel remains unconvinced by the proposed sequence of events and is unwilling to commit to a withdrawal under the current framework.

Negotiations Face Fresh Uncertainty

The public disagreement has cast fresh uncertainty over diplomatic efforts to end the Gaza conflict.

While the United States continues to push for a negotiated settlement combining Hamas' disarmament with a phased Israeli withdrawal, Israel's leadership maintains that its security concerns remain paramount.

With both sides holding differing interpretations of the proposed agreement, negotiations are expected to continue in the coming days as international mediators seek to bridge the divide.