Netanyahu Rejects US Plan to Disarm Hamas
Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had not agreed to President Trump’s plan for disarming Hamas, insisting his forces would not withdraw from their positions in Gaza until the group had fully given up its weapons. The comments deepened the rift over the sequencing at the heart of the American-backed framework. Mr Trump has claimed Israel is content with the plan.
The Israeli leader’s open rejection undercut the optimism Washington has tried to project, exposing how far the two allies remain apart. The plan envisages a phased Israeli withdrawal alongside Hamas disarmament, but Mr Netanyahu, under pressure from hardliners in his coalition, insists on full demilitarisation first — a condition Hamas rejects. With Israeli strikes continuing and mistrust running deep, the framework looks ever more fragile. The window Washington set to agree terms is closing. Watch whether Mr Trump can pull his ally into line, or the plan unravels.