Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected a US-backed 15-point proposal for Gaza, saying Israeli troops will remain in the territory until Hamas has been fully and genuinely disarmed, in a move that could put further strain on Washington’s efforts to secure a lasting de-escalation.
Netanyahu made the remarks during a cabinet meeting on Sunday, saying Israel would not accept the 15-point document endorsed by Hamas last month.
“The Israeli army will not begin a withdrawal until Hamas has surrendered its weapons,” Netanyahu said, while insisting that Israeli forces would continue taking action against what he described as threats to soldiers and Israeli civilians.
The Israeli prime minister acknowledged that discussions with Washington over the proposal were continuing but stressed that Israel would not automatically accept US recommendations.
“They have ideas, some of which are acceptable to us and some are not acceptable to us,” he said, adding that Israel was prepared to “stand firm” on its demands.
In a statement published on Telegram, the Palestinian group called on mediators and countries acting as guarantors of the agreement to fulfil their responsibilities and work to prevent what it described as “violations or breaches” that could undermine the process.
US President Donald Trump announced the agreement on July 30, calling it a “historic” development towards peace.
The proposal includes provisions for the complete disarmament of Hamas and other armed groups operating in Gaza. It was negotiated through the US-led Board of Peace, which was inaugurated in February 2026 and includes about 40 countries, among them Israel and several Arab states.
The board does not include Palestinian representatives and is chaired by Trump for life.
Netanyahu said Israel wanted the process to go further, including the removal of lighter weapons.He also reiterated his opposition to Palestinian statehood, telling his cabinet: “As long as I am prime minister, no Palestinian state will arise.”
The Israeli leader said his government would insist on “real disarmament, not fictitious disarmament”.The dispute could complicate the US-backed diplomatic effort at a time when the ceasefire remains fragile and violence continues in Gaza.
Palestinian officials say Israeli forces have continued carrying out deadly attacks across Gaza on an almost daily basis despite the ceasefire agreed with Hamas last October.
On Sunday, at least one child was injured by Israeli army gunfire in the Al-Najjar neighbourhood of Khan Younis, according to the Palestinian news agency Wafa.
Gaza’s health ministry says at least 1,258 people have been killed and 4,139 wounded since the ceasefire began in mid-October last year. More than 800 bodies have also been recovered from beneath the rubble, according to the ministry.
The ministry puts the overall Palestinian death toll in Gaza since October 2023 at at least 73,386, with 174,250 people wounded.
Netanyahu’s rejection of the US-backed document now raises questions over whether the proposed roadmap can deliver the withdrawal, disarmament and political arrangements envisaged by its supporters and whether the latest diplomatic effort can halt the continuing cycle of violence in Gaza.
