Netanyahu told his cabinet that Israel had rejected the plan put forward by President Donald Trump, while noting talks with Washington over the disputed points were ongoing. "[The U.S.] has ideas. Some of them are acceptable to us, others are not, and we know how to defend our position", he said.
"There will be no withdrawal until Hamas is completely disarmed," Netanyahu added, saying Israeli forces would keep responding to any threats against troops or civilians.
"And we are talking about genuine disarmament, not fictitious disarmament", he said. Netanyahu also ruled out ever accepting a Palestinian state in either Gaza or the West Bank.
Trump announced in late July that his Board of Peace had brokered a deal tying Hamas's disarmament to an Israeli withdrawal, describing it as a step toward handing Gaza's administration to a new Palestinian government working alongside the board.
A ceasefire has held since October, halting major fighting, but later stages of the truce have stalled: Hamas has yet to disarm, and Israeli troops still hold roughly 65% of Gaza. Each side blames the other for violations. Gaza authorities say more than 1,200 Palestinians have died since the truce began; Israel says its strikes hit only militants, October 7 attackers and ceasefire violators. Five Israeli soldiers have also been killed in that period.
(jh)
Source: PAP, CBC