Netanyahu Rejects Peace Council’s 15-Point Gaza Plan, Demands Hamas Disarmament First

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly rejected the 15-point peace plan proposed by the Peace Council for Gaza during a government meeting on Sunday morning. Netanyahu emphasized that Israel will not withdraw its military forces until Hamas is fully disarmed, stating, "Israel rejects the 15-point document. The IDF will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is disarmed." He clarified that disarmament means dismantling all weapons, heavy and light, and stressed that Israel seeks a genuine, not symbolic, disarmament. Netanyahu also noted ongoing discussions with the United States on this issue, with some ideas accepted and others rejected by Israel.

Meanwhile, Israel has refrained from conducting strikes or targeted killings in Gaza since the previous Monday. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich supported Netanyahu’s stance, affirming that Israel’s war goal is the complete military, civilian, and governmental destruction of Hamas, ensuring Gaza poses no future threat to Israeli citizens. Smotrich criticized the 15-point roadmap as fundamentally contradicting this goal and insisted there can be no Israeli withdrawal or Gaza reconstruction without Hamas’s total disarmament.

The 15-point plan, presented by the Peace Council’s High Representative Nikolay Mladenov in May, was developed with input from Egypt, Turkey, Qatar, the United States, and Palestinian factions. It proposes a phased, reciprocal process monitored by an independent verification committee, with each side’s actions triggering corresponding steps by the other. However, Israeli cabinet ministers have expressed skepticism, viewing the plan’s disarmament as superficial, transferring weapons to Palestinian authorities in Ramallah, which they argue do not criminalize terrorism against Israelis.

Israel remains committed to the 20-point plan endorsed by former U.S. President Donald Trump, which includes conditions for a phased IDF withdrawal contingent on international stabilization and security guarantees. The Peace Council recently reiterated its goal of complete disarmament and transition to civilian governance in Gaza, with withdrawals only after disarmament is verified. However, it removed the term "full" from its statement about the extent of the IDF’s withdrawal beyond the "yellow line."