Israel, Gaza Militia Reject Disarmament Terms as Trump Peace Plan Faces Setback

Efforts to advance a US-backed peace framework for Gaza have encountered fresh opposition, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejecting key elements of the proposal. An Israeli-supported militia in southern Gaza has also questioned the possibility of Hamas surrendering its weapons.

Netanyahu said Israel would not accept the 15-point Gaza plan in its current form, insisting that Israeli forces would not withdraw from the territory until Hamas is completely disarmed.

Speaking at a cabinet meeting, the Israeli prime minister said disarmament must include both heavy and light weapons and warned against any arrangement that would result in what he described as an incomplete or symbolic surrender of Hamas’ arsenal.

The position comes as Washington continues to promote a peace framework that proposes a phased Israeli withdrawal from Gaza alongside the disarmament of Hamas.

The proposed arrangement also provides for the decommissioning and securing of Hamas’ heavy weapons, underground tunnels and weapons-production facilities under the authority of a proposed National Committee for Administration of Gaza. Small arms would eventually be brought under Palestinian civil regulation, while anti-Hamas militias that emerged during the conflict would also be dissolved.

However, the proposal faces resistance from both sides of the conflict.

Hussam al-Astal, commander of an Israeli-supported militia operating in the Khan Younis area of southern Gaza, has rejected the prospect of Hamas voluntarily surrendering its weapons. He argued that giving up its arsenal would effectively end Hamas as both a political and military force in Gaza.

Al-Astal also urged Israeli authorities to reject the second phase of the ceasefire arrangement, maintaining that Hamas would have little incentive to surrender weapons that have helped preserve its organisational structure.

Hamas, meanwhile, has maintained that it is prepared to engage with the principles of the international peace initiative but has tied the issue of disarmament to broader conditions, including an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and an end to hostilities.

The group has also called on international mediators to put pressure on Israel to comply with the terms of the proposed agreement.

Netanyahu said Israel had submitted extensive comments on the proposal and acknowledged that discussions with Washington were continuing. He indicated that some US proposals were acceptable to Israel while others remained unacceptable.

The Israeli leader also reiterated his opposition to the creation of a Palestinian state, saying there would be no Palestinian state as long as he remains prime minister.

The disagreement over Hamas’ weapons has emerged as one of the biggest obstacles to the proposed settlement. While Washington and international mediators are seeking a framework that would end the conflict and establish a new system of governance in Gaza, Israeli officials insist that lasting security depends on the complete removal of Hamas’ military capabilities.

The Israeli military has also maintained that operations against emerging threats will continue, adding another layer of uncertainty to diplomatic efforts.

With Israel demanding full disarmament before a complete withdrawal and Hamas linking the surrender of its weapons to broader political and security guarantees, negotiations over the next phase of the Gaza ceasefire remain highly uncertain.