Israel has rejected a proposed Gaza peace plan put forward by US President Donald Trump, drawing criticism from the UAE and several other countries. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the Israeli cabinet that Israel would not accept the proposal, maintaining that Israeli forces would not withdraw from Gaza until Hamas is completely disarmed.
Foreign ministers from the UAE, Turkey, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Pakistan, Qatar and Saudi Arabia issued a joint statement criticising the rejection. They said the move could undermine efforts to achieve peace and reaffirmed their support for Palestinian statehood. The proposed plan was presented as being based on a UN resolution and included around 15 measures aimed at ending the conflict.
The disagreement centres largely on the issue of Hamas disarmament and the withdrawal of Israeli forces. While Israel insists that its troops will remain until Hamas and other armed groups surrender their weapons, Hamas has said any discussion on weapons depends on Israel ending attacks and withdrawing from Gaza. The latest developments have added further uncertainty to efforts to establish a lasting ceasefire and political settlement.
