Netanyahu Rejects Trump Plan for Phased Gaza Withdrawal

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Tuesday that Israeli forces will not withdraw from their current positions in the Gaza Strip until Hamas is completely disarmed. This stance directly challenges a peace framework proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump and the Board of Peace, which suggested a phased Israeli withdrawal and the cessation of strikes in exchange for the decommissioning of Hamas's weaponry and a transition to civilian governance.

Netanyahu rejected the U.S. draft, asserting it did not reflect Israel's positions and that verifiable demilitarization is the indispensable first step before any reconstruction or withdrawal. Following a meeting in Jerusalem between Netanyahu and Board of Peace High Representative Nickolay Mladenov, the mediating body clarified that the Israel Defense Forces would not move beyond the Yellow Line—a military zone in southern Lebanon—until all Hamas weapons and tunnels are decommissioned. Despite these assurances, Netanyahu faces pressure from far-right coalition partners to block the deal entirely.

Hamas has expressed commitment to the ceasefire's second phase but maintains it will not implement disarmament until Israel halts all military operations and fully withdraws from the enclave. While the diplomatic impasse continues, the Israel Defense Forces have implemented new operational restrictions requiring the Chief of Staff's personal approval for proactive strikes. These tensions follow a surge in violence, with reports of intensified Israeli airstrikes in Gaza and increased settler violence in the West Bank throughout July and August.