A senior U.S. official said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s objections to the U.S.-backed roadmap envisioning a withdrawal from Gaza stemmed from political needs during the election period. Speaking to Israel’s Channel 12, the official said Netanyahu’s remarks had not caused concern within the Washington administration.
The U.S. official said they wanted the Israeli government to continue limiting attacks in Gaza and considered it particularly important to keep the attacks under control. U.S. officials believe Israel has honored its commitment not to carry out attacks in Gaza over the past five days and has kept its forces behind the Yellow Line.
What the roadmap envisions
Netanyahu, who rejected the 15-point roadmap backed by U.S. President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace on Sunday, said the Israeli army would remain in Gaza until Hamas was disarmed.
Israel’s Channel 12 reported that Netanyahu also met last week with Trump’s envoy and son-in-law, Jared Kushner. Netanyahu reportedly said during the meeting that he did not believe Hamas would agree to disarmament.
Despite objecting to the plan, Netanyahu said he was prepared to give the roadmap an opportunity. The plan envisions Israel limiting its attacks in Gaza and keeping its forces outside the Yellow Line, which separates areas controlled by Israeli forces from areas where Palestinians can move.
The Yellow Line was said to cover approximately 70 percent of the Gaza Strip. The Washington administration believes Israel can use this arrangement to call on Hamas to disarm.
The roadmap’s second phase plans for control of Gaza to be transferred to a committee of Palestinian technocrats, for an international stabilization force to be deployed, and for weapons to be placed under international supervision. The plan also envisions a phased withdrawal of Israeli forces and reconstruction efforts.
Israel requires disarmament to be completed before it withdraws. The roadmap accepted by Hamas, however, envisions the disarmament and withdrawal processes proceeding gradually and in parallel.
Hamas reiterates commitment to second phase
Hamas reiterated on Sunday its commitment to the roadmap agreed with the mediators and the Board of Peace. The group maintained its position on completing the second phase of Trump’s Gaza plan.
More than 73,000 people have been killed and more than 174,000 wounded in Israeli attacks in Gaza since October 2023. Despite the ceasefire that took effect on October 10, 2025, daily attacks have continued in Gaza, with at least 1,258 people killed and 4,139 wounded, according to data from the Gaza Health Ministry.
