Trump board reassures Israel after objections on Gaza pullout

US President Donald Trump's Board of Peace assured Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday that Israel's withdrawal from Gaza would only begin after Hamas's complete disarmament. The reassurance followed objections from two members of Netanyahu's security cabinet, who had urged a vote to scrap the Trump-backed deal after the board released a text calling for a phased Israeli pullout.

Why did Israel object to the Gaza withdrawal plan?

Israel objected after the Board of Peace released a text on Thursday calling for a phased withdrawal and an immediate halt to Israeli strikes in Gaza. Netanyahu's office said it had raised concerns with US counterparts, arguing the public version did not reflect Israel's actual position. Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called the text "completely different" from what had been shown to the security cabinet.

What did the Board of Peace agree with Israel?

Nickolay Mladenov, the board's high representative for Gaza, met Netanyahu on Monday in what he called difficult but productive talks. The board said it had reached a "common understanding of the shared objectives" with Israel. It confirmed on X that Israel's withdrawal beyond the Yellow Line, the demarcation line where Hamas retains control, would happen only once weapons decommissioning is complete, as Hamas had committed to mediators. Even under the plan, Israel would keep control of much of Gaza under the Trump-led October ceasefire.

Hamas said late Monday it remained committed to the ceasefire's second phase and the commitments made by all parties. The group said it was awaiting an official response from Mladenov and the mediators, according to a statement on Telegram.

How has the Gaza deal strained Trump and Netanyahu's relationship?

The dispute is the latest sign of friction between Trump and Netanyahu, who faces a difficult re-election fight in October. Netanyahu has repeatedly emphasized his relationship with Trump, whom he met in Washington last week. His spokesman, Doron Spielman, said Hamas's conduct since the ceasefire suggested it was preparing for "further October 7-style massacres." Spielman called the "genuine, verifiable and irreversible" demilitarization of Hamas the indispensable first step toward any lasting arrangement.

Trump and Netanyahu also remain divided over Iran, with Israel wary of Trump's diplomatic push to end the war the two countries launched in late February. Israeli President Isaac Herzog struck a more optimistic tone, calling the latest development a positive step, provided Hamas is disarmed.

What role is Jared Kushner playing in the Gaza ceasefire?

Mohammad Dahlan, a senior Palestinian political figure involved in the Gaza plan, said he had spoken to Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, who told him Israel would end its Gaza strikes from Sunday. Dahlan later revised the claim, saying Kushner was instead working with Israel to halt the attacks. He went on to accuse Netanyahu of trying to obstruct what he called the most promising chance to end the war.

What is happening on the ground in Gaza?

On Monday evening, an Israeli strike on a vehicle west of Gaza City killed two Palestinians and wounded several others, according to Mahmoud Bassal, a spokesperson for the civil defense rescue service. The Israeli military said it had targeted two militants. On Sunday, Israeli attacks killed 19 Palestinians, including women and children, the civil defense reported.

Qatar, Egypt and Turkey, which are mediating the truce, condemned the renewed strikes late Monday. The three countries said they strongly opposed what they called ongoing Israeli violations in Gaza, including strikes on health facilities and infrastructure that killed civilians, among them women and children.