Gaza Peace Plan in Doubt: Netanyahu Rejects Key Disarmament Terms
Gaza Peace Plan in Doubt: Netanyahu Rejects Key Disarmament Terms
Trump's Gaza peace plan faces major hurdles as Netanyahu firmly rejects draft terms for disarming Hamas and Israeli withdrawal. Is lasting peace truly possible?
Donald Trump’s peace plan for Gaza is once again facing significant challenges, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stating unequivocally that Israel has not agreed to the proposed terms for disarming Hamas and will not withdraw its forces from the Palestinian enclave until Hamas is completely disarmed. This comes despite President Trump's earlier declaration last week that a "major milestone" had been reached and that Israel was "very happy" with the deal.
The initial proposal, reportedly agreed upon in October, outlined a phased Israeli withdrawal from Gaza after Hamas surrendered its weapons. However, complications quickly emerged. Israeli officials indicated that a military withdrawal would not commence until Hamas disarmed, while Hamas, in turn, stated it would not disarm until Israel halted its attacks. The fundamental disagreement has brought the plan to a standstill.
In his first public comments on the matter, Netanyahu made it clear that Israel did not sign off on the draft terms from the so-called Board of Peace. He emphasized that Israeli forces would not retreat "from our current lines" in Gaza "until Hamas is completely disarmed." He further elaborated that while the US president or his team might believe they can achieve Hamas's disarmament and the demilitarisation of Gaza, Israel received a draft, did not agree to it, and has sent back its comments.
Under the original framework to end the conflict, Israel was expected to withdraw to a demarcation line, known as the Yellow Line, which would have separated 47 percent of the land controlled by Palestinians from 53 percent controlled by Israel. Contrary to this, Israel has reportedly expanded its control to approximately two-thirds of the territory. While a meeting between Netanyahu, Israeli officials, and Gaza envoy Nikolay Mladenov on Monday was described as "constructive and detailed" by the Board of Peace, it appears the critical points of contention remain unresolved, casting a shadow over the prospects for a swift resolution.
