Netanyahu formally rejects Trump's Gaza peace plan demanding Hamas disarmament

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has formally rejected a 15-point Gaza peace proposal backed by US President Donald Trump, stating that Israeli forces will not withdraw until Hamas is completely disarmed. In televised remarks to his cabinet, Netanyahu emphasized that the military "will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is genuinely disarmed and will continue to thwart threats against our forces."

The decision underscores a public rift between Washington and Jerusalem, following Trump's earlier announcements of diplomatic progress. Hamas had previously accepted the framework late last month. Despite the political fallout and domestic pressures on Netanyahu ahead of Israel's national election on October 27, military operations in Gaza have slowed under American diplomatic pressure.

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