Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Sunday that Israel rejects a 15-point peace plan proposed by former President Donald Trump's Board of Peace, stating that Israeli forces will not withdraw from Gaza until Hamas is disarmed.
"I want to clarify this: Israel rejects the 15-point document," Netanyahu told a meeting of his Cabinet. "The IDF will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is disarmed."
Last month, Trump had described a breakthrough in negotiations for his Gaza peace plan. However, the roadmap presented by the Board of Peace calls for Israel to gradually withdraw its forces as Hamas disarms. Netanyahu made clear he will not accept this sequence, insisting on complete disarmament before any withdrawal.
"When I say Hamas must be disarmed, I mean heavy weapons, lighter weapons, all weapons. We are talking about genuine disarmament, not a fictitious one," Netanyahu declared Sunday, emphasizing that Israeli troops will remain in Gaza until the group is fully disarmed.
Hamas has presented a different timeline, stating in recent weeks that it would only disarm after Israel fully withdraws from Gaza and ends military operations. The group added that surrendering heavy weapons would occur later and be contingent on the establishment of a Palestinian state.
Netanyahu also reiterated his opposition to Palestinian statehood, stating, "As long as I am Prime Minister, there will be no Palestinian State." These remarks come as he faces upcoming elections in October, with the conflicts in Gaza and Iran expected to be central campaign issues.
Senior Hamas official Basim Naeem criticized Netanyahu's statements, urging U.S. officials and international mediators to apply pressure on the Israeli leader to adhere to the proposed roadmap and "prevent him from obstructing the process for domestic political and electoral considerations." Naeem asserted that Hamas remains committed to the Board of Peace's proposal, characterizing it as an act of "national responsibility."
Despite the impasse, Netanyahu acknowledged that negotiations with Washington are ongoing. "We are currently discussing this issue with the Americans," he said. "They have ideas; some of them are acceptable to us and some are not, and we know how to stand firm on these matters."
Netanyahu visited Washington D.C. last month for the funeral of former Senator Lindsey Graham. During that trip, he met with Trump at the White House and other senior U.S. officials, including Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. He was also seen speaking with Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. Among other notable figures present were Stephen Miller, Steve Witkoff, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, HHS Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr., and Homeland Security chief Markwayne Mullin.
This meeting with Netanyahu was Trump's eighth face-to-face engagement since returning to the White House, and their first in-person encounter since a private session on February 11.