Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has formally rejected President Donald Trump's Gaza Board of Peace plan, demanding the full disarmament of Hamas before any withdrawal of Israeli forces. Netanyahu's comments come after Trump's announcement of a 15-point plan aimed at securing lasting peace in the region.

Netanyahu stated, "Israel rejects the 15-point document," emphasizing that the Israeli military would not withdraw until Hamas is genuinely disarmed. He added that discussions with the Americans are ongoing, with some ideas being acceptable and others not. Netanyahu also reiterated his stance that no Palestinian state would be established in Gaza or the West Bank as long as he is prime minister.

The rejection of the plan, which was initially endorsed by Hamas, raises questions about the future of peace efforts in the region. Hamas has conditionally agreed to the plan, stating they would proceed if Israel halts strikes in Gaza and withdraws troops to the "yellow line," as defined by the October ceasefire agreement. A senior Hamas official, Bassem Naim, expressed on X that they expect the mediators and the American guarantor to pressure Netanyahu to adhere to the roadmap.

Israeli forces currently occupy significant portions of Gaza, and Netanyahu's stance has been supported by far-right members of his cabinet, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who stated that the Israel Defense Forces "cannot retreat one millimeter in the Gaza Strip."

The U.S.-led Board of Peace, established by Trump, has limited power to proceed without Israeli support, and Netanyahu's rejection of the plan poses significant challenges for the mediators working to disarm Hamas. The roadmap proposed by the Board of Peace involves transferring Gaza's administration to a technocratic Palestinian committee under their oversight.

Since the ceasefire agreement in October, Israeli strikes in Gaza have continued, resulting in over 1,250 deaths and more than 4,120 injuries, according to Gaza's health ministry. The overall death toll in Gaza since October 2023 stands at more than 73,300, with over 174,000 wounded.

Bill Handel