Netanyahu says Israel did not agree to US-backed Gaza plan

JERUSALEM - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel did not agree to a US-backed plan for Gaza, even after receiving assurances that an Israeli pullout would only happen after Hamas disarms.

In a video posted to his social media accounts on Tuesday night, Netanyahu said the team of US President Donald Trump "believes that they can bring about the disarmament of Hamas and the demilitarisation of Gaza. We are checking this. They sent us a draft -- we did not agree to it, it is not our draft. We sent our comments."

Netanyahu met with the US-backed Board of Peace on Monday and received guarantees that the Israeli army would only be required to leave its current positions in Gaza after Hamas disarms.

But pressure has been growing on the premier from his far-right coalition partners to reject the deal. - AFP