Israel rejects Board of Peace Gaza plan over disarmament terms
Developed over time first seen 2 months ago
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected a 15-point Gaza ceasefire proposal put forward by the Board of Peace, ending speculation over Israel's response and confirming that no Israeli withdrawal from the enclave will occur until Hamas is verifiably disarmed. The decision, announced at Sunday's Cabinet meeting, hardens Israel's negotiating stance and leaves the broader peace process without a clear path forward, as the two sides remain divided on the fundamental sequencing of disarmament versus troop withdrawal.
Netanyahu told his Cabinet that the proposed disarmament mechanism was inadequate, dismissing it as offering only "fictitious disarmament" rather than a credible, verifiable process. The full contents of the 15-point document were not detailed, but the rejection makes clear that Israel will not commit to any withdrawal timeline until it is satisfied that Hamas has genuinely surrendered its weapons, reaffirming the deadlock that has stalled progress on a lasting Gaza settlement.
- Netanyahu rejects Board of Peace's 15-point Gaza ceasefire plan
- No IDF withdrawal until Hamas is "genuinely" disarmed
- Dispute centres on credibility of proposed disarmament mechanism
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Israel's military campaign in Gaza began after Hamas, the militant group that has governed the territory since 2007, led an attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023 in which around 1,200 people were killed and hostages were taken. Since then, ceasefire and peace efforts have repeatedly stalled over how to end the fighting permanently, with disarming Hamas seen by Israel as a precondition for any lasting deal.
The Board of Peace is a body that has put forward a framework intended to bring the Gaza conflict to a close, covering issues such as governance of the territory after the war and how Hamas would give up its weapons. Its proposals sit alongside other international efforts, including those led by the United States, to broker an end to the fighting and set out what happens in Gaza afterwards.
Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's prime minister, has led the country's wartime government and has consistently said Israeli troops will not leave Gaza until Hamas is fully disarmed. This dispute matters because it goes to the heart of why a lasting ceasefire has proved so hard to reach: negotiators disagree over whether Israel should withdraw its forces first and verify security afterwards, or whether disarmament and guarantees must come before any troop pullback.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Advocates of Israel's position argue that a ceasefire is only as good as its verification, and that Hamas has a documented record of exploiting ambiguous disarmament clauses to rearm and rebuild tunnel networks during past lulls in fighting. From this view, withdrawing troops before disarmament is confirmed would hand Hamas time and space to reconstitute its military capability, endangering both Israeli citizens and Gaza's population in any future conflict, so maintaining a military presence is framed as a necessary safeguard rather than an obstacle to peace.
The case against
Critics of Netanyahu's rejection argue that insisting on full disarmament as a precondition for withdrawal sets a bar that may never realistically be met, effectively making the occupation open-ended and prolonging humanitarian suffering in Gaza. They contend that credible international frameworks, phased verification, and monitoring mechanisms can offer adequate security guarantees without indefinite military occupation, and that rejecting a negotiated plan outright risks squandering a rare diplomatic opening and undermines trust in future negotiations.
More coverage
- The Hill — Netanyahu rejects plan to disarm Hamas in rare break with Trump
- Daily Mail — Trump's peace plan for Gaza is REJECTED by Israel as Netanyahu refuses to withdraw until Hamas is disarmed
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Originally published by Fox News as “Netanyahu rejects Board of Peace’s Gaza plan: No ‘withdrawal until Hamas is genuinely disarmed’”.