Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s public rejection of a US-backed 15-point Gaza proposal has drawn scrutiny, with reports indicating he was personally working through implementation details with military leadership just days before his dismissal of the plan.
Netanyahu faces competing pressures from key constituencies. Far-right politicians propping up his coalition government demand intensified military operations in Gaza and establishment of Israeli settlements there. Simultaneously, the Trump administration, which provides critical diplomatic and military support to Israel, is pushing toward a permanent settlement involving Palestinian control of Gaza under a framework created by Trump’s Board of Peace. An Israeli election scheduled for late October adds urgency to Netanyahu’s political calculations.
Israeli military officials expressed surprise at Netanyahu’s public stance, with a defense official telling Channel 12 television that meetings held until recently saw Netanyahu personally endorse the plan and approve a withdrawal from specific positions in Rafah. The reported discussions had covered precise boundaries for three pilot areas in southern Gaza where an international force would eventually replace Israeli military forces.
Netanyahu’s rejection came shortly after a visit from Admiral Brad Cooper, head of US Central Command, who conveyed the Trump administration’s desire for Israel to end its military operations in Gaza, Lebanon, and against Iran. However, Netanyahu has demonstrated a pattern of resisting US pressure while making selective operational adjustments. Recent moves include scaling back airstrikes on Gaza by requiring higher-level approval for strikes and limiting the Lebanon offensive, suggesting some responsiveness to American concerns despite public statements to the contrary.
Meanwhile, Palestinians in Gaza continue facing dire humanitarian conditions following a nominal ceasefire brokered by Trump last October. Despite the truce agreement, Israeli operations have continued and resulted in over 1,200 deaths. Gaza’s remaining population largely inhabits tent camps with inadequate sanitation, and widespread food insecurity persists, with projections indicating over 70,000 children will require acute malnutrition treatment through April 2027.
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