Israel conveys 'comments, concerns' to US on Gaza plan, says version made public does not reflect its position

Lead

Israel said on Monday it had expressed concern to the United States about a plan to end the Gaza war hailed by President Donald Trump, as it kept up strikes on the Palestinian territory. The announcement marked the latest sign of a disconnect between Mr. Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who faces a tough reelection fight in October and has heavily promoted his relationship with the U.S. leader, whom he met again last week.

Coverage Comparison

Both Dawn and The Hindu reported the core development: Israel conveyed concerns to the US about the Gaza plan, and Hamas announced it would give up weapons under the plan. The Hindu’s coverage emphasized the disconnect between Trump and Netanyahu, while Dawn’s lead emphasized Hamas’s agreement to disarmament. Both outlets quoted Doron Spielman, spokesman for the Prime Minister’s office, who told AFP: “Israel has conveyed its comments and concerns on the proposed framework to our American counterparts. The version that has been made public does not reflect Israel’s positions.”

Key Claims

• Israel’s concerns conveyed to US: Both outlets reported that Israel expressed concern to the US about a plan to end the Gaza war, with the PM’s spokesman stating the public version does not reflect Israel’s positions.
• Hamas’s disarmament agreement: Both outlets reported that Hamas announced it would give up weapons under the Trump plan, with The Hindu adding that the announcement came on Friday (July 31) and involved handing over weapons to a nascent Palestinian governing committee.
• Continued strikes despite ceasefire: Both outlets reported that Israel has kept up strikes on Palestinian territory despite the ceasefire. The Hindu reported that Palestinian authorities on Sunday said Israeli attacks killed at least 13 people.
• Casualty figures: The Hindu reported that over 1,200 Palestinians have been killed since the truce, according to Gaza authorities. It also reported that the Israeli military says it has lost five soldiers and one civilian contractor in Gaza over the same period. Dawn reported that over 73,000 Palestinians have been killed in the first 1,000 days of Israel’s attacks on Gaza.
• Disarmament and demilitarisation demands: Netanyahu’s office demanded more concrete disarmament by Hamas. Spielman said Israeli intelligence found Hamas had been rearming and recruiting forces since a ceasefire announced by Trump in October. He added that Hamas’s actions since the ceasefire showed it was preparing for “further October 7-style massacres” and noted that the plan released by Trump’s “Board of Peace” called for Gaza to be “a deradicalised terror-free zone that does not pose a threat to its neighbours.”

Perspectives

Israeli Prime Minister’s Office: Spokesman Doron Spielman stated that Israel’s comments and concerns on the proposed framework had been conveyed to American counterparts, and that the public version does not reflect Israel’s positions. He alleged that Hamas had been rearming and recruiting since the ceasefire, and that the plan’s vision “stands in direct contrast to the current reality and to Hamas’s stated intentions.” He demanded “genuine, verifiable and irreversible demilitarisation” of Hamas, saying anything short would leave Hamas with the capability to threaten Israel again.

Donald Trump’s Administration: Trump called Hamas’s disarmament move a “major milestone” in ending the devastating war and told reporters that Israel was “very happy” about the developments. The plan, released by Trump’s “Board of Peace,” calls for Gaza to be “a deradicalised terror-free zone.”