Netanyahu Rejects Gaza Deal Amid Reports of Prior Negotiations
Israeli Prime Minister's public stance on US-backed framework contrasts with claims of personal involvement in its details, raising questions ahead of elections.
Callum Smith
Benjamin Netanyahu publicly rejected a US-backed deal for Gaza.
Netanyahu hammered out precise boundaries for three pilot areas in southern Gaza, where a proposed international force could assume control from the Israeli military. He consented to a withdrawal from specific points in Rafah.
The US-backed, 15-point roadmap, which Hamas officials reportedly accepted, demanded a pause in Israel's strikes on Gaza, contingent on mutual compliance. Netanyahu, however, declared Israel would not execute any withdrawal until Hamas is genuinely disarmed.
The UK welcomed the agreement; the European Union hailed it as a 'crucial step'. Israel faces elections in late October, with the US midterms scheduled a week later.
Netanyahu also confronts corruption charges, laid more than five years ago. The Gaza war ignited with the 7 October 2023 Hamas-led attacks.
The Israeli military now controls approximately 65% of Gaza's territory; the IDF states it will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is disarmed, encompassing both heavy and lighter weaponry. Formal schooling has not restarted in Gaza, the healthcare system remains largely destroyed, and humanitarian aid entry is restricted.
Donald Trump has announced multiple peace plans that quickly collapsed in the past. The Trump administration desires Israel to end its wars in Gaza and Lebanon.
The expected construction of the first International Stabilization Force (ISF) base is scheduled to commence in Rafah at the end of the month. The Board of Peace issued the first building contract for an outpost intended to host foreign troops.