Israeli Ministers Reject US-Backed Gaza Disarmament Deal, Warn It Rewards Terrorists

Several Israeli cabinet ministers strongly opposed the US-backed disarmament agreement for Gaza, accusing the United States of establishing an entity that rewards Jewish killers. This criticism came amid tensions following a meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Nikolay Mladenov, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, who urged Israel to halt military operations in Gaza for 14 days to finalize the details of the agreement.

Israeli officials clarified that Israel will firmly reject any demand for withdrawal from Gaza before Hamas is fully disarmed. Ministers including Orit Strook and Bezalel Smotrich called for convening the security cabinet to vote against the plan, arguing that Netanyahu is cautious out of respect for US President Donald Trump but that the plan undermines the goal of complete disarmament. They described the phased withdrawals as "fake disarmament," since weapons and authority would remain with Palestinian factions.

US officials reportedly warned Israel that its actions in Gaza have made it a "pariah state." Despite the UN's call for a ceasefire, the Israel Defense Forces resumed strikes after more than 30 hours, targeting a vehicle in Gaza City with an air force drone, killing two Palestinians according to local reports. The UN described the meeting with Netanyahu as "productive and detailed," emphasizing that Israeli withdrawal beyond the "yellow line" would only occur after full disarmament, supervised by an international stabilization force including the US and the UN.

The dispute highlights deep disagreements over the peace council's plan to dismantle Hamas's military capabilities and transfer governance to a civilian authority in Gaza. Israeli ministers remain adamant that security concerns must be prioritized and that any withdrawal must be conditional on Hamas's complete disarmament.