Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the latest US roadmap accepted by Hamas to launch the second phase of the Gaza peace plan, taking fresh distance from President Donald Trump as he faces razor-tight elections.
After more than a week of gradually escalating criticism of the plan, Netanyahu explicitly opposed it in the face of pushback from his right-wing base.
The Israeli government says any withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip is conditional on the Islamist group being "genuinely" disarmed.
"Israel rejects the 15-point document" presented at the end of July by Donald Trump’s Peace Council, Benjamin Netanyahu said during a cabinet meeting.
The Israeli army would carry out "no withdrawal as long as Hamas is not genuinely disarmed and will continue to thwart threats against our forces and our citizens," Netanyahu said.
