Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday said his country rejects the latest US-backed peace plan for Gaza, demanding the full disarmament of Hamas before any Israeli forces withdraw.

The comments come more than a week after Trump announced a breakthrough in negotiations, with his Board of Peace (BoP) issuing a new 15-point plan aimed at securing lasting peace in the territory

But in his first remarks directly addressing the plan, Netanyahu said: “I want to be precise here: Israel rejects the 15-point document.”

He said the Israeli military would “not withdraw at all until Hamas is genuinely disarmed and will continue to thwart threats against our forces and citizens.”

“We are now discussing this with the Americans,” he added. “They have ideas, some of which are acceptable to us and some are not, and we know how to stand up to those things.”

“As long as I am prime minister, no Palestinian state will be established — not in Gaza and not in the West Bank,” Netanyahu said.

After Trump’s announcement on July 31 there was a brief surge in Israeli strikes on Gaza, but these have declined over the last few days.

Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition faces an election at the end of October and is trailing in opinion polls. The prime minister must balance pressure from Washington with demands from hardline ministers not to make concessions to Hamas.

After the Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023, Netanyahu vowed Israel would eradicate the group.

Referring to Israeli military action in Gaza and Lebanon, as well as strikes in Iran earlier this year, Netanyahu said: “Contrary to all those who preach to us, we do what must be done for Israel’s security and we can and will stand our ground even against our best friends when necessary.”

Hamas calls for US pressure on Israel

At the end of July, US President Donald Trump announced what he described as a historic agreement to secure the disarmament of Hamas and all other armed groups in Gaza, months after the president first announced a US-brokered ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel.

Hamas said it would only go through with the deal if Israel halts strikes in Gaza and pulls troops back to the “yellow line,” as defined by the October ceasefire agreement.

On Sunday a senior official of the group said it remained committed to the roadmap set out by Trump’s Board of Peace.

“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” said Bassem Naim, a member of Hamas’ politburo on X.

After meeting with the special UN envoy for Gaza, Nikolay Mladenov, Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdel-Aati said that all parties must “fulfill their commitments and refrain from taking any actions that could hinder the implementation process or undermine the progress achieved.”

Israeli forces currently occupy more than half of Gaza, in the east and south of the territory and senior ministers have signaled they want to expand control.

Far-right members of Netanyahu’s cabinet welcomed Netanyahu’s stand on Sunday.

“The (Israel Defense Forces) cannot retreat one millimeter in the Gaza Strip,” said Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.

Netanyahu’s rejection of Trump’s initiative will further strain a close relationship. Last year, he described the US president as “the greatest friend that the state of Israel has ever had in the White House.”

Trump has suggested that Netanyahu should receive a pardon rather than face corruption charges, saying in March that Israel’s President Isaac Herzog “must give Bibi a pardon today. I don’t want there to be anything troubling Bibi other than the war with Iran.”

But there has also been growing friction over Israeli strikes in Lebanon this year, and the Netanyahu government only reluctantly accepted the ceasefire in April with Iran. (CNN)

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