Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly rejected a US-backed Gaza peace plan, declaring that Israel will not withdraw from its current lines until Hamas is completely disarmed. This stance directly challenges the phased approach proposed by Donald Trump's administration. Meanwhile, a fragile ceasefire has allowed Palestinians to hold a mass funeral for 112 victims recently recovered from a 2023 strike in Gaza City, highlighting the ongoing humanitarian toll as thousands remain missing under the rubble.
Netanyahu rejects withdrawal plan
- ▪Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israeli forces will not withdraw from their current lines in Gaza until Hamas is completely disarmed.
- ▪The White House sent Israel a draft proposal regarding Hamas's disarmament, which Israel rejected and returned with comments.
- ▪Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly rejected the US-backed Board of Peace's terms for disarming Hamas and withdrawing from Gaza.
Hamas disarmament dispute
- ▪The Board of Peace's disarmament plan was negotiated without Israeli involvement, between Hamas, the Board of Peace, and mediator countries.
- ▪Hamas rejects the term 'disarmament' but has offered to hand over its weapons for storage under a US-backed Palestinian administration after Israel halts operations and withdraws.
- ▪Following meetings with Benjamin Netanyahu, the Board of Peace updated its stance, stating that the IDF withdrawal beyond the Yellow Line will occur only after decommissioning is complete.
Sabra neighborhood mass funeral
- ▪Palestinians gathered for a mass funeral in Gaza City's Sabra neighborhood for more than 100 victims recovered from a November 22, 2023, Israeli strike.
- ▪First responders recovered the remains of 112 victims, including 40 children, from the destroyed residential block in the Sabra neighborhood, while 157 bodies remain missing.
Ceasefire body recovery efforts
- ▪The current fragile ceasefire has allowed rescue workers to slowly recover the bodies of people killed during the early months of the war.
- ▪At least 7,400 people are reported by relatives to still be trapped under the rubble in Gaza.
Continued strikes in Gaza
- ▪An Israeli air strike killed two Palestinians in Gaza City's Sheikh Ajlin neighborhood hours after the meeting between Benjamin Netanyahu and Nickolay Mladenov.
- ▪At least 1,252 people have been killed in Gaza since the ceasefire took effect, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
Humanitarian crisis conditions
- ▪Gazans remain highly skeptical of the peace plan, struggling with basic survival after the Israeli military campaign devastated the enclave.
- ▪Most of Gaza's 2 million Palestinians remain displaced, with many living in overcrowded tent camps facing rodent infestations and infectious disease outbreaks.
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