Middle East Crisis: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected the possibility of a Palestinian state in Gaza and the West Bank. His statement has highlighted differences between the two leaders over US President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan.
According to Israeli media reports, Netanyahu categorically stated that a Palestinian state will not be established in Gaza or the West Bank while he is prime minister. He also stated that Israel will not end its military presence in Gaza until Hamas completely surrenders its weapons.
Netanyahu raised big questions
This statement comes at a time when US President Donald Trump presented a 15-point peace plan to end the conflict in Gaza. Trump described the plan as a major step toward ending the war and said Israel was satisfied with the proposal. However, Netanyahu’s latest stance has raised questions about the plan’s future.
Detailed discussion on issues related to Gaza
According to reports, the status of the agreement reached between the US and Israel regarding Gaza remains unclear. An Israeli political source claimed that Gaza-related issues were not discussed in detail during the meeting in Washington.
Meanwhile, Hamas has also set its own conditions for the peace plan. Hamas says that before surrendering their weapons, Israel must halt military operations and implement the terms of previous ceasefire agreements.
Steps like humanitarian aid will have to be taken
Senior Hamas official Ghazi Hamad said the group could agree to a difficult deal, but that Israel would first have to take steps like halting attacks, withdrawing troops to designated locations and delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Consideration of submitting it to the National Committee
According to Hamas, only after these conditions are met can the weapons be considered for handing over to the proposed National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, a Palestinian technocratic body that will take over Gaza’s civil administration.
Trump’s peace plan includes proposals to end the Gaza war, control the weapons of Hamas and other armed groups, a phased withdrawal of Israeli forces, and hand over the administration of Gaza to a Palestinian technocratic body.
Deployment of the International Stabilization Force
According to the plan, after the ceasefire terms are implemented, an international monitoring mechanism could be established to oversee reconstruction, the restoration of public services, and security in Gaza. It also proposes the deployment of an international stabilization force to help monitor the agreement.
Concerns over ongoing military action in Gaza
Meanwhile, several Muslim-majority countries have also expressed concern about the situation in Gaza. The United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt issued a joint statement expressing concern about the ongoing military action in Gaza.
Efforts to end the conflict in Gaza
These countries stated that increasing military activity in the region could undermine peace efforts. They urged all parties to move forward toward dialogue and agreement. Currently, efforts to end the conflict in Gaza remain divided between Israel, Hamas, and international parties. Implementing a peace plan remains a major diplomatic challenge.