New Delhi, July 31 -- TEL AVIV - Israel has formally objected to the terms of a US-proposed 15-point framework for resolving the Gaza conflict, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office announced Thursday, saying the document fails to adequately address Israel's core demand for Hamas disarmament and the demilitarization of the Strip - and that Israel has communicated those objections to American envoy Tony Blair.

"Israel demands the complete disarmament of Hamas, including the removal of weapons from Gaza and the complete demilitarization of the Strip, as a precondition for any process," Netanyahu's office said in a statement. "The 15-point document under discussion does not sufficiently address these demands, and Israel has conveyed it...