Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected a US-led Gaza plan endorsed by Hamas, marking a fresh disagreement with US President Donald Trump.
Netanyahu said Israel would not withdraw its military forces from Gaza until Hamas was genuinely disarmed, despite growing US pressure surrounding the proposed 15-point framework.
Netanyahu explicitly rejected the proposal during a cabinet meeting on Sunday after more than a week of increasingly critical comments.
“Israel rejects the 15-point document,” Netanyahu said, referring to a plan that Hamas had endorsed in late July.
He added that the Israeli military would not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas was disarmed and would continue to counter threats against Israeli forces and civilians.
The rejection came as Netanyahu faces strong opposition from elements of his right-wing political base.
Netanyahu described Trump as “our greatest friend in the White House” but made clear that Israel was prepared to disagree with Washington over the Gaza proposal.
“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,” Netanyahu said.
He added that Israel was communicating its objections to the United States.
The remarks represent a notable shift from Netanyahu’s previous emphasis on his close relationship with Trump.
Trump has taken several significant steps in support of Israel since his first presidential term, including moving the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
The two leaders also aligned closely over Iran earlier this year. However, their positions began to diverge when Trump sought a ceasefire with Iran in April as the conflict affected his domestic political standing and contributed to rising oil prices.
The latest disagreement over Gaza adds another major issue to the growing differences between Washington and Jerusalem.
The disagreement could complicate US efforts to advance a political and security framework for Gaza.
Hamas’ reported endorsement of the US-led proposal had created an opening for negotiations, but Netanyahu’s rejection of the plan now places significant emphasis on the unresolved question of Hamas’ disarmament and the future role of Israeli forces in Gaza.
The dispute also comes as Netanyahu faces a closely contested political environment at home.
Netanyahu said Israel would continue discussions with the United States while maintaining its objections to parts of the Gaza proposal.
The immediate challenge for Washington will be to reconcile Israel’s demand for Hamas’ disarmament with a plan that Hamas has endorsed, while preventing the disagreement from further straining the US-Israel relationship.
For now, Netanyahu’s position is that any Israeli military withdrawal must remain conditional on Hamas being fully disarmed.
