"Israel rejects this document," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on 9/8, referring to the plan Hamas accepted in late July. "The Israel defense forces (IDF) will not withdraw until Hamas fully disarms and will continue to prevent threats against our soldiers and citizens."

US President Donald Trump previously hailed the Gaza agreement as a milestone for peace. Prime Minister Netanyahu described Trump as "our greatest friend in the White House" but affirmed his readiness to go against the US president's opinion, stating Israel is expressing its opposition to the US.

"They have many ideas; we accept some, others we do not," Netanyahu said. "We know how to maintain our stance on these issues."

Man cycling through rubble in the Gaza Strip on 31/7. *AP*

The plan, unveiled in late July, stipulates that the armed group Hamas would disarm in stage two, with the Israeli military gradually withdrawing from Gaza. A group of Palestinian technocrats, known as the National Committee for Gaza Management (NCAG), would assume daily operational oversight during the post-conflict transition.

Netanyahu publicly opposed the agreement after a week of escalating criticism of the Gaza plan, despite receiving assurances that Israel would not need to immediately withdraw troops from the area.

Nickolay Mladenov, head of the Peace Council, defended the Gaza plan his organization deployed, calling it a solution to prevent a repeat of the 7/10/2023 attack. "The option we presented is the only way to ensure this tragedy does not recur," Mladenov stated.

Mladenov expressed hope for positive outcomes in subsequent discussions with Israel. He described the agreement's current phase as a commitment involving the US, Hamas, and the Peace Council.

Location of the "golden boundary" Israel established. *Guardian*

According to Mladenov, Israel will not be required to fulfill any obligations until Hamas relinquishes all its weapons, including AK rifles. However, Mladenov stressed that Israel will ultimately need to withdraw its troops from the Gaza Strip.

Hamas, which previously publicly endorsed the plan, called on the US to pressure Prime Minister Netanyahu and affirmed its continued commitment to the agreement.

"We hope the guarantor, the US, along with the mediators, will pressure Prime Minister Netanyahu and his government to comply with the process, rather than obstructing it for internal political reasons or election purposes," Basem Naim, a Hamas official, stated.

Nguyen Tien (*AFP, AP, Reuters*)