Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reiterated his firm stance that disarmament of Hamas must precede any Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Netanyahu, who is currently preparing for a challenging reelection campaign in October, stated that his government has reviewed a draft proposal sent by the Trump administration but ultimately declined to accept it as written.
In a video message shared on social media, the Prime Minister clarified that the document provided by the US team did not align with Israel’s requirements. He noted that his administration provided comments on the draft prior to any public campaign surrounding the issue, emphasizing that Israel remains committed to protecting its territory, citizens, and security interests. Netanyahu stated, "President Trump and his team think they can get Hamas to disarm and demilitarize Gaza, we are examining this, they sent us a draft, we did not agree, it is not our draft, we sent our comments."
The current impasse stems from a broader ceasefire framework established last October, which successfully ended major military operations and facilitated the release of remaining hostages. That agreement envisioned a phased process involving the disarmament of Hamas, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the approximately 60% of Gaza they currently control, the deployment of an International Stabilization Force, and the establishment of an independent Palestinian administration to manage governance and reconstruction efforts. However, progress on these terms has stalled.
Both sides remain deadlocked, with Israel maintaining that all future actions depend on the total disarmament of Hamas. Conversely, Hamas continues to demand that Israel immediately cease all military strikes and begin a full withdrawal from the territory. Each party has accused the other of violating the terms of the existing truce.
