Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel will not withdraw its troops from the Gaza Strip and rejected a U.S. proposal for peace [1, 2].
This rejection creates a significant diplomatic rift between Israel and the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump. The disagreement centers on the conditions required for a ceasefire, and the timeline for the Israeli Defense Forces to exit the territory.
Netanyahu said that Israel will not pull back until Hamas is "completely disarmed" [1, 3]. He specifically addressed a draft proposal linked to the disarmament of the militant group, noting that the document was "not our draft" [1].
The Prime Minister's position is that the demilitarization of the region must be a prerequisite for any troop pullout [3]. By refusing the roadmap, Netanyahu signals that the Israeli government prioritizes the total removal of Hamas's military capabilities over the diplomatic timelines suggested by Washington [1, 2].
Reports on the Prime Minister's stance have varied. While some sources indicated he backed the U.S.-sponsored peace proposal, other reports said he rejected the plan and refused any withdrawal until full disarmament is achieved [1, 2].
Netanyahu's refusal to adhere to the U.S. roadmap emphasizes a strict security-first approach to the conflict. The insistence on a fully disarmed Hamas before any troop movement suggests that Israel views the U.S. proposal as insufficient to guarantee long-term security in the region [1, 3].
“"Israel will not withdraw from the territory until Hamas is completely disarmed"”
The rejection of the U.S. roadmap indicates a fundamental misalignment between the strategic goals of the Trump administration and the Israeli government. By conditioning withdrawal on the total disarmament of Hamas, Netanyahu is setting a high bar that may prolong the military presence in Gaza and complicate U.S. efforts to broker a stable ceasefire.
