Benjamin Netanyahu says no to the Trump administration’s plan for Gaza and sets a specific condition for any retreat of the Israeli army: Hamas must first be completely disarmed. Only then, according to the prime minister, will the IDF be able to begin to withdraw from the positions occupied in the Strip. In fact, the American proposal envisages that the disarmament of Hamas and the withdrawal of Israeli forces proceed in phases, while Netanyahu demands that Hamas lay down its weapons before the Israeli army retreats. Hamas, by contrast, argues that Israel must stop the attacks and fulfill its commitments before implementing the weapons part of the deal.
What Netanyahu wants to do in Gaza
“I have great appreciation for President Trump. He is a great friend of ours in the White House”, says Netanyahu underlining that he appreciates “the historic partnership with the United States against Iran’s attempts to acquire nuclear weapons”.
“Unlike all those who lecture us, we are doing what needs to be done for Israel’s security and we know and are able to stand our ground even in front of our best friends when necessary,” he says.
The stance comes as the Trump administration is ramping up pressure to move to the next phase of the Gaza process. Second Reutersin recent days Israel has significantly reduced military operations in the Strip after the meeting between Netanyahu and Nikolay Mladenov, envoy for Gaza of the Board of Peace.
“Heavy weapons, light weapons, all weapons”
Netanyahu claims that Hamas is still capable of carrying out new attacks against Israel. “He could do it, but why have long weeks gone by without him attacking us? Because he knows what a powerful blow we will inflict on him if he does so,” says the prime minister. “And when I talk about disarmament I mean heavy weapons, light weapons, all weapons. We’re talking about real disarmament, not fake disarmament,” Netanyahu insists.
In the hell of Gaza with books and a dream
And the Americans “have some ideas – he adds – For us some are acceptable, others not”. The position coincides with what Netanyahu had already stated publicly on August 4. In a video, the prime minister explained that the document received from the Americans did not represent an agreement already signed by Israel: Washington had sent a draft, on which the Israeli government had formulated its own observations. The prime minister had also specified that the IDF would not withdraw from the positions it then occupied until Hamas was completely disarmed.
Trump’s ideas and Hamas’ position
The clash arises from the announcement made by Donald Trump on July 30th. The American president had announced that the Board of Peace had reached an agreement on the “complete disarmament of Hamas and all armed groups in Gaza”. Trump had presented the agreement as a decisive step in implementing America’s broader 20-point plan to end the conflict. According to the scheme announced by the White House, the delivery of weapons should take place progressively together with the withdrawal of Israeli forces, while an “International stabilization force” should collaborate with a new Palestinian police force to guarantee the security of the Strip.
Hamas instead avoids using the term “disarmament”: the position communicated by the group envisages that the weapons be placed under the control of the Palestinian administration supported by the United States, without being handed over to Israel or non-Palestinian subjects. The movement also argues that implementation depends on Israeli compliance with commitments, including troop withdrawal.