Gazans express frustration after Israel rejects 15-point peace plan

Palestinians in Gaza have reacted with a mix of skepticism and frustration to Israel's rejection of a proposed 15-point plan aimed at ending the war and establishing a framework for the future. The US-backed plan includes provisions for a phased Israeli withdrawal, gradual disarmament of Hamas, establishment of a Palestinian-led civilian administration, and steps toward humanitarian aid and reconstruction.

However, on Sunday (August 9), Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that his country "rejects" the plan, insisting that forces would not withdraw until Hamas is "truly disarmed."

Nesma Harazin, a writer displaced from the Shujayea neighborhood of Gaza City, said Netanyahu's statement came as no surprise, as Israel continues near-daily attacks despite the "ceasefire" reached with Hamas in October 2025. The 27-year-old said: "We are dealing with an Israeli occupation army that has the ability to stop these operations, but it does not accept stopping and continues to kill Palestinians." According to her, rather than being a "real opportunity" to end the war, the plan has long been that of US President Donald Trump and Netanyahu.

Harazin's skepticism was echoed by Mehdi Ahmed, a Gaza City resident whose family home is one of the few still standing in the area. The 53-year-old said: "We are under occupation. In our view, any ceasefire is only temporary." Since the October ceasefire, Israeli attacks have killed at least 1,258 people, bringing the total death toll since the start of the Gaza war in October 2023 to at least 73,386.

Ahmed warned that even if a deal brings a period of calm, it may not last. He said: "We might sit here for a year without war, but I don't think it will continue like that," arguing that the destruction and loss will shape future generations. "The coming generations will not accept these kinds of solutions. Those who have lost children, parents, and family… you cannot expect them to simply forget."

In a statement on Sunday night, Hamas said it remains committed to fully implementing the plan, calling on mediator and guarantor countries to "take responsibility" and prevent any "violations or breakdowns" that could hinder progress. The Gaza Government Media Office also criticized Netanyahu for reversing negotiations and called for international pressure to prevent escalation. In a statement on Monday, the office said Netanyahu's rejection of the 15-point document, along with demands including opposition to an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, is "a clear and decisive reversal of the negotiation process."

'We have no one'

Ahmed said living "a lifetime under occupation" and "in hardship" makes him doubt that years of negotiations can produce a lasting solution. He asked: "They've been talking about these points for three years… do we have to spend another seven years talking about them?" pointing out that Palestinians do not receive full support from the region and internationally. "No one is backing us. Why?"

For Harazin, a meaningful ceasefire must include an Israeli withdrawal, an end to attacks, and a clear roadmap for reconstruction and the return of displaced Palestinians. But after Netanyahu's statement, she fears more displacement and greater Israeli control over Gaza. She said: "If the ceasefire plan is rejected, the Israeli occupation army will carry out harsher campaigns than we have heard of in Gaza. Perhaps they will ask us to move to areas in the south. There are no buildings left standing in Gaza City."

For Ahmed, the possibility of lasting peace is tied to the balance of power. He said: "When you are weak, there is no opportunity, no hope. Hope comes when you are strong."

'Hope in God'

Unlike Harazin and Ahmed, Ramez Haniyeh views the proposed plan as a real missed opportunity to "end the war and genocide." Haniyeh, who was displaced to Nuseirat in central Gaza after his home was destroyed, believes the proposal could help end fighting and "stop suffering" for Palestinians. For him, it's not simply about ending Israeli attacks. "Withdrawal, then reconstruction and living with dignity," he said when asked what he expects from a ceasefire. He fears rejection could lead to new escalation: "I expect they will create a new target bank, so things escalate and there will be more bloodshed in the coming period."

Haniyeh described the humanitarian and economic conditions in Gaza as worsening, with high unemployment and many unable to afford basic necessities. He said: "The situation is very bad and getting worse. There is some food and drink now, but no one has the money to buy them." Despite pessimism, Haniyeh places hope in faith: "I hope in God, but there is no hope that this war will end. It will continue until God frees us." Harazin, though skeptical of the proposal, also said she has "hope in God" and stressed: "World War I ended, World War II ended, so we have hope that the war in Gaza will end."