Netanyahu Rejects Trump’s Gaza Plan: No Hamas Disarmament or Israeli Withdrawal

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has formally rejected a U.S.-backed initiative for Hamas to surrender its arms in Gaza in exchange for an Israeli military withdrawal from the strip, pushing back against a 15-point peace framework recently championed by President Donald Trump as a breakthrough toward ending the conflict there.

Netanyahu Dismisses the U.S.-Backed 15-Point Peace Blueprint

The rejection marks a fresh point of friction between Jerusalem and Washington over the trajectory of the ongoing conflict. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declined the 15-point peace plan put forward by U.S. President Donald Trump, according to reporting from TIME. The proposal sought to secure a lasting cessation of hostilities by pairing Hamas disarmament with a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip.

While Netanyahu has maintained a historically warm stance toward the current U.S. administration—previously describing the American leader as the greatest friend that the state of Israel has ever had in the White House—diplomatic friction has occasionally surfaced. TIME notes that ties have appeared more strained since the two nations coordinated on joint military strikes against Iran on February 28.

Hamas Urges Mediators to Apply Pressure on Israel

Following the rejection, militant leadership in Gaza called upon international intermediaries to force a reversal. Senior Hamas official Basem Naim took to social media to urge continued pressure on the Israeli government. Writing on X, Naim stated that the group remains committed to the roadmap reached, as reported by TIME.

Furthermore, Naim placed direct pressure on international brokers to intervene, adding, We expect the mediators and the American guarantor to press Netanyahu and his government to compel him to adhere to the roadmap and not obstruct the path for internal political and electoral reasons, according to TIME.

The Mounting Human and Structural Toll in Gaza

The diplomatic standoff persists against a backdrop of devastating casualties. More than 1,250 people have been killed in Israeli attacks since the original ceasefire in October 2025, with the vast majority identified as civilians, according to figures released by the Gaza Health Ministry and cited by TIME.

The broader humanitarian toll since the outbreak of the war remains staggering. Data from the Gaza Health Ministry, highlighted by TIME, indicates that over 73,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the fighting began. Meanwhile, militant leadership has kept precise figures regarding its own combatant casualties private, with the ministry noting that Hamas has not disclosed how many of its fighters have been killed.