Key facts
- Benjamin Netanyahu rejected a US-backed 15-point peace plan for Gaza.
- Netanyahu stated Israel's demand for full Hamas disarmament before any withdrawal.
- Trump's Board of Peace proposed the plan, which mandated Hamas disarmament for Israeli withdrawal.
- Iran issued new demands for reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
- The UAE reported one of its ships was targeted by an Iranian missile.
- Yemen's Houthis claimed responsibility for an attack on a Saudi refinery.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly rejected a US-backed 15-point peace plan for Gaza, marking a rare public disagreement with U.S. President Donald Trump. Netanyahu stated in a release that he was confronting a "wave of rumours about Israeli weakness and Israeli withdrawals on all fronts" and rebuked U.S. pressure to end conflicts in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran without Israel's consent.
Trump's Board of Peace had proposed the 15-point plan in July, which stipulated that Hamas disarm in exchange for a full Israeli military withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and a transition of power to an independent Palestinian national committee. Trump had indicated the agreement would be implemented in stages, but Netanyahu asserted on Sunday that he wanted full Hamas disarmament first.
In other regional developments, Iran has issued new demands for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, stating it would not open until the U.S. "corrects its behaviour." The United Arab Emirates reported that one of its ships was targeted by an Iranian missile over the weekend. Additionally, Yemen's Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for an attack on a refinery in Saudi Arabia.
The conflict has stranded an estimated 20,000 seafarers, primarily Indian and Filipino crews, with 17 deaths reported since hostilities began, largely following Iranian strikes. Meanwhile, in U.S. politics, Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer and other Democrats participated in tabletop exercises simulating potential threats to the integrity of the upcoming November election. Abdul El-Sayed, a Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Michigan, embraced Trump's characterization of them representing "VERY DIFFERENT" versions of America. Donald Trump also appointed his staff secretary, Will Scharf, as the new White House counsel.