Following Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s dismissal of President Donald Trump’s Gaza plan, its implementation faces a critical test.
Netanyahu stated on Sunday that Israeli forces would not withdraw from the Palestinian enclave until Hamas is fully disarmed.
How did the White House react to this stance?
A senior U.S. official clarified that the White House is "not distressed" by Netanyahu’s statement, recognizing it as part of Israel’s election season, according to an "Axios" correspondent.
The official explained, "We understand Netanyahu’s political needs, and we have no issue as long as he continues to meet our demands, especially on restraining attacks on Gaza."
Additionally, he mentioned that "Netanyahu spoke with President Trump's envoy, Jared Kushner, last week, promising to give the 15-point plan a chance despite skepticism, and committed to limiting Gaza attacks until the disarmament process begins."
Since then, Israel has refrained from large-scale attacks on Gaza, and the Israeli military has gradually retreated toward the "yellow line."
Impending Confrontation?
In contrast, Israeli political sources disclosed tensions between the U.S. and Israel over the plan, as reported by "Israel Hayom." They warned, "We will face a showdown with the Trump administration over the Gaza issue if necessary."
They noted that Netanyahu's office sends Washington daily updates on Hamas movements in Gaza.
This follows Netanyahu's official declaration that his government rejects the U.S.-endorsed Council for Peace plan on Gaza, asserting that as long as he is prime minister, "there will be no Israeli withdrawal from Gaza before Hamas is fully disarmed."
Council for Peace envoy Nickolay Mladenov stated that Israel has not yet signed on to the 15-point plan for Gaza, adding that Israeli forces will only withdraw from fully disarmed and tunnel-free zones.
Mladenov stressed to Israeli Channel 12 that the Israeli army should not station forces beyond the "yellow line" in Gaza.
Meanwhile, Hamas affirmed its commitment to the plan and urged the U.S. and mediators to press Tel Aviv.
The "Council for Peace" published the operational principles for completing a comprehensive Gaza peace plan in early August 2026, which includes ending faction authority, disarming, and transferring civil and security governance in Gaza to the "National Committee for Gaza Management," with Hamas and factions pledging full disengagement from administration and non-interference in the committee's work.