Netanyahu has rejected key parts of Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan, saying Hamas must be disarmed before reconstruction can begin…reports Asian Lite News Desk
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly acknowledged differences with US President Donald Trump over the proposed Gaza peace framework, insisting that Hamas must be fully disarmed before any reconstruction of the territory can begin.
Speaking after meeting Board of Peace High Representative Nickolay Mladenov on Monday, Netanyahu said he disagreed with elements of the agreement unveiled by Trump, particularly the sequencing of Hamas’s disarmament and the rebuilding of Gaza.
“There are disagreements with President Trump that I don’t hide regarding the recent agreement with Hamas. Hamas must be disarmed, and the Gaza Strip demilitarised before moving to the reconstruction phase,” Netanyahu was quoted as saying by Al Jazeera.
The Board of Peace later clarified that Israeli forces would not withdraw beyond the so-called “Yellow Line” until the complete decommissioning of all weapons in Gaza had been achieved.
The organisation said recent reports suggesting an early or partial Israeli withdrawal were inaccurate and stressed that Hamas had committed to mediators that disarmament would precede any major redeployment of Israeli forces.
“Contrary to inaccurate reports, we note that the withdrawal of the IDF beyond the Yellow Line will take place only once decommissioning is complete, as Hamas committed to the mediators. This applies to light weapons, heavy weapons, and the tunnels alike,” the Board of Peace said in a statement.
According to the Board, the meeting between Mladenov, his delegation and Netanyahu focused on implementing the broader transition from armed control in Gaza to civilian governance.
The organisation described the talks as constructive and said both sides shared the same long-term objective of ending armed rule in Gaza.
“The goal is clear and is not in question the complete decommissioning of weapons in the Strip and the transition away from rule by the gun to civilian governance. Reaching it will be a process. And that process will be set out in the next phase of the work,” the Board said.
To oversee implementation, the Board said compliance would be monitored by the International Stabilisation Force together with the Implementation Verification Committee, which includes representatives from both the United States and the Board of Peace.
It added that further progress would depend on all parties fulfilling their obligations under the agreed framework.
The “Yellow Line” refers to a military zone extending about 10 kilometres north of the border inside southern Lebanon. According to Al Jazeera, Israeli officials have indicated they intend to retain control of the zone while reserving the right to conduct military operations there, citing efforts to eliminate Hezbollah’s presence.
Meanwhile, the Times of Israel reported that a senior Israeli government spokesman said the Gaza roadmap presented by President Trump “does not reflect Israel’s positions” and “stands in direct contrast to the current reality” in the territory.
Prime Minister’s Office spokesman Doron Spielman said Israel had communicated its concerns to Washington.
“The version that has been made public does not reflect Israel’s positions,” he said, despite earlier statements from Board of Peace officials that Israel had been extensively briefed during negotiations.
Spielman also reiterated Israel’s position that Hamas must completely surrender its weapons.
“Demilitarization means Hamas physically surrendering its weapons. Anything short of full demilitarization will leave Hamas with the capability to threaten Israel again,” he said.
Despite the disagreements, Israeli President Isaac Herzog offered a more positive assessment of the proposed framework.
According to the Times of Israel, Herzog said he saw “a lot of positive elements in the efforts of the Board of Peace, under the auspices of President Trump and his leadership.”
“I think his 20-Point Plan, which was adopted by the UN Security Council, and now, moving forward with the guidelines and the agreements that are going to be reached, is a very positive step with the clear caveat… that Hamas must be disarmed, and I hope Hamas will be disarmed fully,” Herzog said.
Officials said the roadmap builds on an earlier 20-point Gaza peace plan, converting it into a phased implementation framework following eight months of negotiations after the release of hostages and the return of bodies.
