Israel rejects US-backed Gaza plan demanding full disarmament of Hamas

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has formally rejected a 15-point peace proposal for Gaza endorsed by US President Donald Trump, declaring that Israeli troops "will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is genuinely disarmed."

Speaking during a televised cabinet address, Netanyahu distanced his government from the framework, which Hamas had accepted in late July. The rejection comes despite a Washington-driven pause in major Israeli offensives in the territory. Netanyahu faces a delicate political balancing act ahead of Israel's national election on October 27, navigating demands from far-right coalition partners while managing ties with the White House. Separately, regional tensions escalated as Houthi forces claimed strikes on Yemen's Mokha port and a Saudi Aramco site.

Sources: Cyprus Mail, France24, STV News, The Guardian, The Herald.