Netanyahu rejects BoP Gaza withdrawal plan until Hamas disarms, turns down White House draft

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected a proposal for an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza until Hamas is fully disarmed, stating, "We won't retreat from the current lines until Hamas lays down all of its arms." This stance was reiterated after a meeting with Board of Peace (BoP) Director-General Nickolay Mladenov, who requested a 14-day ceasefire to initiate Hamas's demilitarization. Netanyahu also confirmed that Israel declined a White House draft proposal concerning Hamas's disarmament, returning it with comments. The BoP's objective for Gaza is the "complete decommissioning of weapons in the Strip and the transition away from rule by the gun to civilian governance," with IDF withdrawal contingent on the full disarmament of all military infrastructure.