3 articles · Updated · The Associated Press · Aug 4
Summary
Netanyahu said Israeli forces will stay on their current Gaza lines until Hamas is completely disarmed, rejecting a sequence in the latest U.S.-backed deal that paired Hamas disarmament with an Israeli halt to strikes and withdrawal.
The Israeli leader said Washington sent a draft Israel did not accept and that his government returned comments, exposing a gap with the Trump administration over how to implement the October ceasefire.
That ceasefire ended major fighting but has largely stalled: Hamas has kept its weapons, Israel still controls over half of Gaza, and each side accuses the other of violations.
In Gaza, the truce has also enabled recovery of older war victims, including 112 bodies exhumed this weekend from a 2023 strike that killed more than 300 people in Gaza City's Sabra neighborhood.
The war's toll keeps rising, with Gaza's Health Ministry reporting more than 73,377 Palestinians killed, 7,400 still under rubble, and 1,252 deaths since the ceasefire took effect.
Can Gaza’s ceasefire survive if Israel refuses to withdraw before Hamas fully disarms?
What would count as proof that Hamas is disarmed—and who could verify it in a shattered Gaza?
The 2026 Gaza Disarmament Deal: Why Trump’s Plan Has Stalled and What It Means for Palestinians
Overview
The Trump-backed Gaza disarmament deal has stalled in a deep political deadlock, driven by a core dispute: Israel refuses to withdraw troops until Hamas disarms, while Hamas will not disarm until Israel withdraws. This impasse is worsened by Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s election pressures and his far-right coalition’s demands, leading to delays in negotiations. On the ground, Israel has expanded its control in Gaza, squeezing displaced Palestinians into smaller areas and cutting off key routes. Meanwhile, the blockade and conflict have caused severe humanitarian crises, with most aid blocked, widespread food insecurity, and thousands needing urgent medical evacuation.