Netanyahu Secures Key Changes to U.S. Gaza Withdrawal Plan

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has successfully negotiated substantial revisions to the United States' plan aimed at concluding the conflict in Gaza. The updated proposal now outlines a phased withdrawal of Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) contingent upon specific benchmarks, and includes detailed provisions for the disarmament of Hamas.

Following discussions with U.S. officials, the revised plan specifies that Israeli forces will withdraw to predetermined lines, as illustrated in a newly included map. This map delineates three phases of IDF withdrawals, allowing Israeli troops to remain in significant portions of the Gaza Strip until an International Stabilization Force (ISF) composed of Arab and Muslim countries is ready to deploy and oversee Hamas's disarmament. Even after the second withdrawal phase, the IDF is set to maintain a presence in over a third of the Strip, with a security buffer zone established along the entire perimeter to prevent future attacks.

On the disarmament front, the amended plan mandates that Hamas members seeking amnesty must decommission their weapons. It further details that all military and offensive infrastructure, including tunnels and weapon production facilities, will be destroyed and not rebuilt. A supervised demilitarization process will be implemented, involving independent monitors and an internationally funded buy-back and reintegration program.

Netanyahu expressed satisfaction with the revised terms, stating that the world, including Arab and Muslim nations, is now pressuring Hamas to accept the conditions formulated with the U.S. to secure the return of all hostages while the IDF maintains a presence in most of the Strip.

An Arab diplomat involved in the mediation noted that while Arab and Muslim leaders had engaged with U.S. President Donald Trump, Netanyahu's subsequent discussions led to additional changes favoring Israel. The diplomat indicated that it would be challenging for Hamas to accept the current U.S. proposal, as it requires the group to release all hostages within the first 72 hours while only achieving a partial initial withdrawal of Israeli troops. Hamas is expected to take several days to respond and may propose its own amendments, though U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff has previously insisted on acceptance of his proposals without alterations.