Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected Sunday a Gaza plan backed by Donald Trump, saying Israel would not withdraw its forces until Hamas is "genuinely" disarmed.
After more than a week of gradually escalating criticism of the plan, Netanyahu explicitly opposed it as he faced pushback from his right-wing base ahead of elections.
"Israel rejects the 15-point document," Netanyahu said, referring to a plan endorsed by Hamas in late July.
The Israeli military "will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is genuinely disarmed and will continue to thwart threats against our forces and our citizens," Netanyahu said at a Cabinet meeting.
The document, the latest stage in a U.S.-led ceasefire announced in October that has reduced but not ended Israeli operations in Gaza, said Hamas would surrender weapons to a nascent Palestinian governing body.
