Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may have categorically rejected the Peace Board’s new plan to disarm Hamas in Gaza, but his decision is unlikely to be the final word, the BBC reported.
The White House has not officially commented on Netanyahu’s remarks. However, U.S. officials are reportedly “not concerned” by his statement and view it as campaign rhetoric ahead of Israel’s heated general election.
“We understand Bibi’s political needs,” Israeli journalist Barak Ravid quoted a senior U.S. official as saying, using Netanyahu’s nickname. “We have no problem with that as long as he continues to do what we are asking, particularly regarding restraint in Gaza.”
In recent days, there has been a noticeable pause in Israeli strikes on Gaza—something Hamas had demanded when it agreed to the U.S.-backed 15-point peace plan.
There are also indications that Israel may be prepared to move forward with U.S. President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan by preparing for the deployment of an International Stabilization Force (ISF). The force would consist of international troops working alongside a new Palestinian police force to provide security across the territory.
According to Israeli public broadcaster Kan News, construction of the first ISF base is expected to begin among the ruins of Rafah in southern Gaza later this month, potentially allowing reconstruction efforts to finally begin.
In July, following months of delicate negotiations, Trump announced what he described as a “major breakthrough” in implementing his plan to end the war in Gaza.
