Netanyahu rejects Trump's Gaza peace plan
Israel has turned down Trump's Gaza peace deal even after Hamas accepted it, a bad sign for anyone hoping the fighting ends soon.
- Trump's plan called for phased steps: Hamas disarms in stages while Israeli forces pull back, then an international force and a new Palestinian police take over Gaza.
- Netanyahu rejected the 15-point plan outright, saying troops will not withdraw until Hamas gives up all weapons and vowing no Palestinian state while he is in office.
- One sticking point is Israeli-backed armed militias inside Gaza; disarming Hamas first would leave it defenseless against them and hand Israel full control for nothing in return.
- A skeptical read is that the public back-and-forth is theater — Trump floats a deal, Netanyahu says no, and Israel keeps bombing and holding 70% of Gaza while buying time.
- The White House privately shrugged off the rebuff, calling it Israeli election-season politics, even as U.S. demands go unmet.
Outlook: With Israel refusing to withdraw and Washington unwilling to apply real pressure, the deal looks stalled and the fighting is likely to grind on.