Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the Board of Peace's 15-point Gaza reconstruction plan on Sunday, declaring that Israeli forces won't withdraw until Hamas is "genuinely disarmed" and reiterating his opposition to Palestinian statehood. Speaking at a cabinet meeting Sunday afternoon, Netanyahu made clear his conditions for any post-conflict arrangement in the territory.
"Israel rejects the 15-point Gaza document proposed by the Board of Peace," Netanyahu said. "The IDF will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is genuinely disarmed." He emphasized the distinction between symbolic gestures and actual security guarantees, telling his cabinet that Israel is in talks with the US about Hamas disarmament but that it must be "genuine disarmament, not fictitious disarmament."
No Palestinian State Under Netanyahu
The prime minister's statement went beyond the immediate question of reconstruction to address the broader political horizon. "As long as I am prime minister, there will be no Palestinian state, not in Gaza and not in Judea and Samaria," Netanyahu said. "Neither 'Fatahstan' nor 'Hamastan.'" The formulation reflects Israeli security concerns about both Hamas-controlled Gaza and the Palestinian Authority's governance in the West Bank, where the PA hasn't held elections since 2006.
Netanyahu defined complete disarmament in unambiguous terms. "When I say Hamas is disarmed, that means the heavy weapons, the less heavy weapons, all the weapons," he said. The statement came as senior Hamas official Basem Naim told Reuters that the terror group expects mediators and the US to "press Netanyahu and his government to adhere to the roadmap." Naim said Hamas remains committed to the roadmap agreed to in Cairo, setting up a diplomatic standoff over what constitutes acceptable terms for Gaza's future.
Construction East of Rafah
Earlier Sunday, Army Radio reported that Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz quietly approved new development and reconstruction in the Gaza Strip two weeks ago. According to the report, the location marked for new construction is east of Rafah, within the Yellow Line, with the plan being to build new living spaces for Palestinians outside of Hamas' control. Security sources said that the workers involved in the construction would be Gazan Palestinians, who are currently having their background checked by the Shin Bet.
The reconstruction approval suggests Israel's approach isn't simply punitive but focused on creating alternatives to Hamas governance. Building housing for Palestinians outside the terror group's control addresses both humanitarian needs and security imperatives, though the timeline and scope remain unclear.
Regional Security Operations
Netanyahu also addressed Israel's military activity beyond Gaza. "In recent days Israel has acted forcefully in Lebanon, eliminating terrorists, including in the Ali Taher Ridge," he said, though he declined to elaborate, saying only that Israel was conducting "very important activity." On Iran, Netanyahu said the regime was keeping from striking Israel as it "knows what a powerful blow we will deal it if it does." He expressed appreciation for US President Donald Trump and the alliance between Israel and the US regarding keeping Iran from attaining nuclear weapons.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich backed Netanyahu's position, saying he "welcomed the prime minister's unequivocal clarification." Smotrich framed the issue in terms of the war's original objectives. "We went to war with one central objective: the destruction of Hamas militarily, civilly, and as a governing authority," he said. "That means there can be no Hamas in Gaza the day after, and Gaza must not pose a threat to Israeli citizens and residents of the South for many years to come. This roadmap runs 180 degrees contrary to that objective."
Smotrich said all reconstruction in Gaza would first require complete Hamas disarmament. "The objective of the war to which we are committed is clear: a situation in which there is no Hamas in Gaza...we will not give up even a fraction of that objective," he said.
Why This Matters:
Netanyahu's rejection of the Board of Peace plan highlights the fundamental security dilemma Israel faces in Gaza: how to allow reconstruction and civilian recovery without enabling the terrorist infrastructure that launched the attacks that triggered the war. His insistence on complete Hamas disarmament before any IDF withdrawal reflects lessons learned from past withdrawals, particularly the 2005 Gaza disengagement, which was followed not by peace but by thousands of rocket attacks and the construction of an extensive tunnel network. The quiet approval of construction east of Rafah suggests Israel is pursuing a dual-track approach: blocking any arrangement that leaves Hamas armed while creating physical alternatives to the group's control. Whether international mediators can bridge the gap between Hamas' commitment to the Cairo roadmap and Israel's demand for genuine disarmament will determine if reconstruction can proceed or if Gaza remains frozen in post-conflict limbo. The stakes extend beyond Gaza to Israel's broader security environment, with operations in Lebanon and the ongoing standoff with Iran shaping Netanyahu's calculus about what risks Israel can afford to take in its immediate south.