London.UK- 4 October,2025
Israel had no immediate, official government response on Friday, October 3, largely because the country was shut down for the Jewish Sabbath.
However, reports indicated a degree of surprise and likely displeasure from Prime Minister Netanyahu and a forceful rejection from his far-right coalition partners.
1. Netanyahu’s Alleged Surprise/Displeasure:
While not public, initial reports from Israeli journalists suggested that Prime Minister Netanyahu was “surprised” by the strength of Trump’s positive reaction and his immediate demand for a halt to the bombing. Netanyahu’s inner circle reportedly viewed the conditional nature of Hamas’s reply—which did not explicitly agree to immediately disarm—as a “rejection,” despite the agreement on the hostages.
2. Focus on Disarmament and Withdrawal:
The key sticking point for Israel remains:
* Disarmament:
The original Trump plan calls for the immediate disarmament of Hamas, a condition the group said needed to be negotiated within a broader Palestinian national framework.
* Withdrawal:
While Netanyahu initially backed the plan, he stressed that Israeli forces would remain in a security perimeter in Gaza for the foreseeable future, only agreeing to gradual withdrawals linked to disarmament.
3. Far-Right Rejection:
Right-wing members of Netanyahu’s government, such as Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, had already publicly rejected the Trump plan before Hamas’s response, calling it a “resounding diplomatic failure.” Their opposition is expected to increase following Trump’s public pressure on Israel.
