Camille Naredo

Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a ceremony commemorating Israels Remembrance Day for fallen soldiers, or Yom HaZikaron, at the Military Cemetery on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem on April 21, 2026.

Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a ceremony commemorating Israels Remembrance Day for fallen soldiers, or Yom HaZikaron, at the Military Cemetery on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem on April 21, 2026. (Photo by Ilia YEFIMOVICH / POOL / AFP)

Article (news)

ISRAEL

<p>JERUSALEM (<strong>UPDATED</strong>) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday rejected a US-led Gaza plan endorsed by Hamas, putting distance between himself and President Donald Trump as he tries to shore up his base ahead of close elections.</p><p>After more than a week of gradually escalating criticism of the plan, and despite receiving assurances that Israel would not need to start withdrawing in Gaza immediately, Netanyahu explicitly opposed the deal following pushback from his right-wing allies.</p><p>&quot;Israel rejects the 15-point document,&quot; Netanyahu said, referring to the plan Hamas agreed to in late July.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2026/8/3/israel-conveys-concerns-to-us-on-gaza-plan-keeps-up-strikes-on-territory-2243">READ: Israel conveys &#x27;concerns&#x27; to US on Gaza plan, keeps up strikes on territory</a></div><p>The Israeli military &quot;will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is genuinely disarmed, and will continue to thwart threats against our forces and our citizens&quot;, he told a cabinet meeting.</p><p>Netanyahu described Trump, who had hailed the Gaza deal as a milestone for peace, as &quot;our greatest friend in the White House&quot; -- but quickly made clear he was willing to challenge him, saying Israel was raising its objections with the United States.</p><p>&quot;They have ideas; some of them are acceptable to us and some are not, and we know how to stand our ground on these matters,&quot; he said.</p><p>Netanyahu, Israel&#x27;s longest-serving leader, is running even or trailing in some polls ahead of October 27 elections, the country&#x27;s first since the devastating October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas that sparked the Gaza war.</p><p>Polls show that the Gaza plan is unpopular with Netanyahu&#x27;s right-wing base, and far-right members of his cabinet have urged him to kill it.</p><p>Hamas, days after selecting a new leader, Khalil al-Hayya, announced it supported the Gaza plan, and has since called on Washington to push Netanyahu to accept it.</p><p>&quot;We expect the mediators and the American guarantor to pressure Netanyahu and his government to adhere to the roadmap, and not obstruct the process for internal political and electoral reasons,&quot; Bassem Naim, a member of Hamas&#x27;s political bureau, told AFP.</p><p>Hamas in a statement said it was still committed to the plan.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>- Friction with Trump -</strong></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1786281795931AFP__20250708__2223423623__v5__MidRes__IsraeliPrimeMinisterNetanyahuVisitsTheWhiteHo.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accompanied by U.S. President Donald Trump (L), speaks during a dinner in the Blue Room of the White House on July 07, 2025 in Washington, DC. Andrew Harnik, Getty Images/AFP/File"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accompanied by U.S. President Donald Trump (L), speaks during a dinner in the Blue Room of the White House on July 07, 2025 in Washington, DC. <em>Andrew Harnik, Getty Images/AFP/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>Netanyahu until recently campaigned on the strength of his relationship with Trump, who has taken unprecedented steps to back Israel, including moving the US embassy to Jerusalem.</p><p>Trump joined Netanyahu in late February in launching a war against Iran, but the two diverged when Trump sought a ceasefire and subsequent settlement to the conflict as it sapped his popularity and sent oil prices soaring.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2026/7/31/trump-announces-agreement-for-complete-disarmament-of-hamas-0835">READ: Trump announces agreement for &#x27;complete disarmament&#x27; of Hamas</a></div><p>Netanyahu told his cabinet that &quot;with an agreement or without an agreement, as long as I am prime minister, Iran will not have nuclear weapons&quot;, a goal he has long alleged Tehran is pursuing.</p><p>Netanyahu last week also ordered fresh strikes on Lebanon in response to what Israel called a ceasefire violation by Iran-backed Hezbollah, just as Israel and Lebanon were holding US-mediated talks.</p><p>The Gaza plan was the latest stage in a US-brokered ceasefire announced in October that has reduced, but not ended, Israeli operations there.</p><p>Hamas said it would surrender weapons to a nascent Palestinian governing body. The plan said Israel would begin pulling out forces in tandem with the disarmament, a timeline it adamantly rejected.</p><p>After meeting Netanyahu last week, Trump&#x27;s body implementing the deal, dubbed the Board of Peace, backtracked and said Israel would only need to withdraw after &quot;complete&quot; disarmament, but it was apparently not enough for Netanyahu.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2026/8/1/hamas-agrees-to-disarm-under-trump-plan-0734">READ: Hamas agrees to disarm under Trump plan</a></div><p>&quot;We are talking about real disarmament, not fictitious disarmament,&quot; he said Sunday.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>- Israeli offensive -</strong></div><p>Egypt, a key mediator, called on all sides to &quot;honor their commitments&quot; and refrain from action that could jeopardize progress, in a call between Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and the Board of Peace&#x27;s high representative for Gaza, Nickolay Mladenov.</p><p>Despite Netanyahu&#x27;s stance, Israel appears to have decreased operations in Gaza since the deal was announced, but hasn&#x27;t halted them completely.</p><p>Israeli gunfire on Sunday injured a child who was taken to hospital in Khan Yunis, civil defence spokesman Mahmoud Bassal said</p><p>Israeli operations in Gaza have killed 1,258 Palestinians since the ceasefire, according to the territory&#x27;s health ministry, which operates under Hamas authority and whose figures are considered reliable by the United Nations.</p><p>The Israeli army has reported five deaths in its ranks during the same period.</p>

<p>Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday rejected a US-led Gaza plan endorsed by Hamas, taking fresh distance from President Donald Trump as he faces razor-tight elections.</p>

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday rejected a US-led Gaza plan endorsed by Hamas, taking fresh distance from President Donald Trump as he faces razor-tight elections.

Netanyahu rejects Gaza plan, in new break from Trump

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

BINI

Sudoku

Word of the Day

Lotto

Horoscope

World

Netanyahu rejects Gaza plan, in new break from Trump

Shaun Tandon,

Agence France-Presse

Published August 09, 2026 09:36 PM PHT

|

Updated August 09, 2026 10:43 PM PHT

Read More:

Jerusalem

Israel

Benjamin Netanyahu

Palestine

Gaza

Hamas

Donald Trump

United States

ceasefire

ABS-CBN Newsletter

Your go-to source for the latest news, entertainment highlights, exclusive interviews, and updates on your favorite Kapamilya stars.

ABS-CBN Newsletter

Your go-to source for the latest news, entertainment highlights, exclusive interviews, and updates on your favorite Kapamilya stars.

Sign Up

I have read and agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy.

Haven't received our newsletter?

Check your inbox to verify and confirm your subscription.

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.