Lead

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel did not agree to the US-backed plan for Gaza, pushing back against a deal announced by US President Donald Trump that was seen as a potential breakthrough for ending the war. His remarks, made in a video posted to his social media accounts on Tuesday night, cast further doubt on the agreement and marked a rare public display of friction between the Israeli government and the Trump administration.

"[The Trump administration] sent us a draft. We did not agree. It is not our draft. We sent our comments. … This is our position," Netanyahu said, as reported by ABC Australia.

Coverage Comparison

Both ABC Australia and the South China Morning Post reported Netanyahu's rejection of the plan, though each framed the story with different emphases. ABC Australia focused on Netanyahu's insistence that the Israeli military will not withdraw from its current lines in Gaza until Hamas has completely disarmed, highlighting the security concerns underlying Israel's position. The South China Morning Post, meanwhile, placed greater emphasis on the political dynamics within Netanyahu's ruling coalition, noting growing pressure from its right flank to reject the deal.

According to the South China Morning Post, Netanyahu met with the US-backed Board of Peace on Monday and received guarantees that the Israeli army would only be required to leave its current positions in Gaza after Hamas disarms. However, two far-right ministers requested a new vote on the plan Tuesday, saying it did not reflect what had originally been discussed. Israel's security cabinet, in which the two ministers sit, had already voted in favour of the proposal.

Key Claims

  • Netanyahu has said the Israeli military will not withdraw from its current lines in Gaza until Hamas has completely disarmed, as reported by both ABC Australia and the South China Morning Post.
  • The US-backed agreement called for Hamas to begin disarming and for Israel to halt its strikes and begin withdrawing from the roughly 60 per cent of Gaza it currently controls, according to ABC Australia.
  • At least 1,252 people — mostly women and children — have been killed in Gaza since the ceasefire took effect, a claim carried by ABC Australia.
  • Jordan has called an emergency meeting of Arab and Islamic foreign ministers in response to what it says could be an 'imminent' Israeli takeover of the Al-Aqsa mosque, as reported by ABC Australia.
  • Netanyahu said Israel did not agree to the US-backed plan, a statement carried by the South China Morning Post.
  • Netanyahu met with the US-backed Board of Peace on Monday and received guarantees that the Israeli army would only be required to leave its current positions in Gaza after Hamas disarms, according to both ABC Australia and the South China Morning Post.
  • Two far-right ministers requested a new vote on the plan Tuesday, saying it did not reflect what had originally been discussed, as reported by the South China Morning Post.

Perspectives

Israeli Government

Prime Minister Netanyahu's position is that Israel will not withdraw from its current lines in Gaza until Hamas has completely disarmed, and that the Israeli military will continue to "do whatever is necessary to protect themselves, our territory, and our citizens," as quoted by ABC Australia.

Far-right Coalition Ministers

Two far-right ministers within Netanyahu's coalition have requested a new vote on the plan, arguing it does not reflect what had originally been discussed, according to the South China Morning Post.

Hamas

Hamas has held power in Gaza since a brief civil war in 2007, according to ABC Australia. The report notes that Hamas says Israel must end its strikes and begin withdrawing from the territory before it disarms, while Israel says everything hinges on Hamas giving up its weapons.

Jordan and Arab/Islamic States

Jordan has called an emergency meeting of Arab and Islamic foreign ministers in response to what it says could be an 'imminent' Israeli takeover of the Al-Aqsa mosque, as reported by ABC Australia.