Trump's Board of Peace reassures Israel after objections on Gaza pullout plan
U.S. President Donald Trump's Board of Peace gave assurances to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday. They said any Israeli withdrawal from Gaza would not begin until Hamas completely disarms. This followed Israeli objections to an earlier version. That version outlined a staged retreat and an immediate stop to Israeli air strikes. The Board of Peace, a transition body under Trump, has been engaging with Netanyahu. They aim to tailor the plan to match his concerns. The Israeli government had argued the initial version did not capture their position. Two ministers in Netanyahu's security cabinet pushed for a vote to reject Trump's Gaza strategy. The updated plan seeks to resolve these issues. It aims to strengthen the foundation for a lasting peace.
Netanyahu's office said Israel had clearly communicated its concerns to the U.S. These objections came after Trump celebrated an agreement. Hamas handed weapons over to a new Palestinian governance group in that agreement. Netanyahu's team emphasized the public version of the plan did not reflect Israel's views. Doron Spielman, a spokesperson for the prime minister, told AFP that Israel had shared its feedback. They did this with American officials before a meeting with Nickolay Mladenov. Mladenov is the Gaza representative under the Board of Peace. He met Netanyahu to discuss the challenges. He acknowledged the complexity of reaching a shared understanding. The board said it had reached common ground with Israel. It stated that any pullback beyond the Yellow Line would only happen after Hamas disarms entirely. The Yellow Line is where Hamas still holds territory.
Netanyahu's Conditions for Withdrawal
As noted by the board on X, Israel's troop movements would wait until weapons are fully decommissioned. Hamas has promised to mediators about this. This matches Netanyahu's demand for a total, confirmed, and irreversible demilitarization. The Israeli government remains doubtful about Hamas's intentions. Spielman noted the group's behavior since the ceasefire suggests it is preparing for more attacks. He reiterated that 'the indispensable first step toward any lasting arrangement is the genuine, verifiable and irreversible demilitarisation of Hamas.'
The current situation reflects growing disagreements between Trump and Netanyahu. This is especially regarding Trump's diplomatic approach to Iran. Israel has shown little trust in Trump's attempts to resolve the conflict with Iran. That started in late February. Israeli President Isaac Herzog, whose role is largely symbolic, expressed more confidence in Trump's Gaza plan. He called the latest developments 'a very positive step with the clear caveat and undertaking that Hamas must be disarmed.' Herzog's optimism contrasts with Netanyahu's cabinet. There, far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich criticized the board's text. He called it 'completely different' from what had been shown to the security cabinet. He and a colleague demanded an urgent vote on the plan. This shows the internal political tensions in Israel about Gaza.
Growing U.S.-Israel Diplomatic Tensions
Mohammad Dahlan, a senior Palestinian political figure involved in the Gaza plan, first said that Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and advisor, told him Israel would stop attacks in Gaza. But he later corrected himself, saying Kushner was 'working with the Israeli side to halt the attacks.' Dahlan also claimed that Netanyahu is trying to 'obstruct the most promising opportunity to begin ending this war,' showing the complicated mix of Israeli politics and international mediation. On the ground, the situation remains tense. On Monday evening, an Israeli strike on a car west of Gaza City killed two Palestinians and injured others, said Mahmoud Bassal, a civil defence spokesperson. The military stated it had targeted two militants in the strike.
Humanitarian Impact of the Conflict
The ongoing conflict in Gaza continues to have a severe humanitarian and civilian impact, with recent Israeli strikes killing 19 Palestinians, including women and children, according to civil defence reports. The situation has drawn worldwide attention to the difficulties of achieving lasting peace. As the Board of Peace tries to mediate a ceasefire and ensure a verifiable disarmament of Hamas, the Israeli government and Trump are navigating a delicate balance of diplomacy and disagreement, with the stakes for both countries and the region at their highest.
