Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected US President Donald Trump’s proposed peace plan for Gaza, saying the withdrawal of troops would only happen when Hamas is completely disarmed, the BBC reports.
The Peace Council established by Trump reported in July that it had reached an agreement on the complete disarmament of the terrorist group Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza, but Hamas said that the laying down of heavy weapons would only follow the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and the cessation of all forms of aggression.
Israel has continued its attacks on Gaza since the initial ceasefire agreement in October last year, and Netanyahu said on the 9th of August that Israel rejected Trump’s 15-point peace plan.
Israel would only leave the territory when Hamas is truly disarmed and no longer poses a threat to Israeli forces and civilians.
A Hamas spokesman told the BBC that the group reiterated its commitment to the agreement and was ready to engage seriously and responsibly in the implementation of the 15-point peace plan. He called on the mediators to ensure that all parties fulfill what they have promised.
Israel’s rejection is another blow to Trump’s peace plan, which he began talking about last September. It included the creation of a Peace Council to oversee the implementation of the peace agreement, the disarmament of Hamas, Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza and the restoration of the territory.
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