Netanyahu rejects Trump's Gaza peace plan, vows no military withdrawal until Hamas disarms

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly rejected a peace plan for Gaza backed by former US President Donald Trump, asserting that Israel will not withdraw its forces from the Gaza Strip until Hamas is completely disarmed. Netanyahu specifically dismissed the "15-point document" outlining the plan, emphasizing that a genuine disarmament of Hamas, encompassing all weaponry, is a non-negotiable condition for any Israeli withdrawal or ceasefire. This stance highlights a significant disagreement between Israel and the US administration regarding the future of Gaza.

Concurrently, Iran has issued a new set of stringent demands for the reopening of the critical Strait of Hormuz, a vital international waterway. These conditions, articulated by Iran's Supreme National Security Council, go beyond previous discussions and include the United States ending all military actions against Iran and its regional allies in Lebanon, Palestine, Yemen, and Iraq. Iran further demands the lifting of a naval blockade and sanctions, the withdrawal of US military forces from the region, complete compensation for war damages, and the unconditional release of frozen Iranian assets.

These new demands from Tehran have complicated ongoing negotiations, particularly as they come amidst an effective Iranian blockade of the strait and reports of an Iranian missile targeting a United Arab Emirates ship. While Iran claims to be close to an agreement with Oman on managing the strait, its broader preconditions to the United States suggest a significant hurdle to any immediate resolution of the waterway's status.