Israeli Cabinet Opposes Gaza Disarmament Plan and Troop Withdrawal

Israeli Cabinet Resists Disarmament and Troop Withdrawal Plan

Smotrich accused the U.S.-sponsored Board of Peace of publishing a plan that was never presented to or voted on by Israeli ministers. Alongside Settlement Minister Orit Strock, Smotrich called for an urgent meeting of the political-security cabinet. He asserted that the public version would allow the Israel Defense Forces to withdraw before disarmament is complete, grant restrictive powers to an international force, and reintroduce the establishment of a Palestinian state as a political goal. There can be no promotion of a plan that contradicts the war goals and the commitments made to Israel, Smotrich said.

Sticking Points Over the Yellow Line and Disarmament

The diplomatic rift centers on the sequencing of disarmament and military withdrawals. Under the arrangement announced by U.S. President Donald Trump, Hamas agreed to a framework that would see the militant group give up its weapons and control of Gaza according to PBS NewsHour. The initial phase involves Hamas police transferring their small arms to a new police force trained outside Gaza by international troops known as the International Stabilization Force, followed by the deployment of a transitional, technocratic administration called the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza.

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However, Israeli officials have maintained a hardline stance against pulling back forces without complete demilitarization. An anonymous Israeli official stated that there will be no withdrawal whatsoever of the IDF from the current Yellow Line unless Hamas undergoes genuine disarmament, maintaining control over approximately 65 percent of the Gaza Strip nbcnews.com. An anonymous official reiterated that the military will not withdraw from its current position in Gaza under any circumstances and will continue to eliminate threats msn.com.

Implementation Challenges and International Frustration

While President Trump hailed the initiative as a major breakthrough, experts and international mediators acknowledge immense logistical and political hurdles. The broader roadmap involves the surrender of heavy weapons and the decommissioning of tunnels over a timeline estimated between 200 and 350 days by Board of Peace officials. Hamas has conditioned the surrender of heavy weapons on the creation of a Palestinian state, a concept adamantly rejected by Israel’s current government.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held discussions with the Board of Peace’s high representative for Gaza, Nikolai Mladenov, and senior adviser Arié Lightstone, during which Netanyahu faced local pressure amid a tough reelection battle ahead of October elections. Meanwhile, U.S. officials and members of the Board of Peace expressed frustration with Israel’s position, noting that Tel Aviv had been briefed on the conditions of the plan for months.