UPDATE: Netanyahu adamant Israel won’t comply with Gaza plan, insists he can stand up to Trump
| Published: August 9, 2026
President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shake hands after joint press conference announcing the U.S. peace plan for Gaza, Monday, September 29, 2025, in the State Dining Room of the White House. Photo by The White House – Flickr, Public Domain, Wikipedia
Israel has yet to sign off formally on U.S. President Donald Trump’s Gaza plan based on intelligence that suggests Hamas is seeking to limit Israel’s ability to act militarily.
Israel is concerned that the proposed transition to Phase 2 could constrain its military freedom of action before Hamas has actually demonstrated that it is willing to disarm, leaving Israel vulnerable to a drawn-out negotiation.
According to The Jerusalem Post, Director of Israel’s Security Agency (Shin Bet), David Zini, warned ministers that Hamas could use the proposed demilitarization process to prolong negotiations and limit Israel’s freedom of action, rather than genuinely giving up its military capabilities.
Zini stated he believes that Hamas is “dragging their feet” and “waiting for the elections, and then they will see what happens.” Israel is slated to hold elections on Oct. 27 this year.
The main point of contention is a proposed 14-day period to prepare for implementation of the next phase.
According to Israeli officials cited by the Post, cabinet ministers largely opposed taking steps that could signal Israel had entered the 14-day period, which would entail restrictions on Israeli military operations, including targeted strikes against Hamas operatives.
Walla likewise reported that Israel had not signed or formally approved the Board of Peace’s (BoP) demilitarization roadmap and had raised significant objections to the proposed terms.
The BoP published a 15-point roadmap last week that calls on both sides to fulfill their remaining obligations under the previous agreement before finalizing the mechanisms for implementing Phase 2 during a 14-day period.
The status of the proposed multinational force remains unresolved. While the security cabinet approved a legal framework for a roughly 200-member International Stabilization Force in late July, each national contingent would still require separate Israeli approval, according to Reuters.
The Post reported that a separate document governing the force’s deployment remained unsigned following Israeli objections, and that Israel had not formally authorized its entry under the new arrangements.
At the same time, the Post learned that the government had approved the entry of approximately 200 members of the force following U.S. pressure.
The reports suggest a distinction between Israel’s approval in principle of the force’s legal framework and final authorization of its deployment and operating arrangements.
Preparations by potential troop-contributing countries are nevertheless moving forward.
Uganda’s parliament voted Thursday to authorize the deployment of troops to Gaza if needed as part of the international force.
Reuters reported that the broader Trump plan remained stalled, with no clear timeline for when the force would actually deploy.
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