Kushner urges Netanyahu not to obstruct Gaza peace plan; Israeli leader insists on no withdrawal until Hamas disarmed

Jared Kushner, a special envoy and former U.S. President Donald Trump's son-in-law, met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, urging him to "not create obstacles" to a Gaza peace plan. The meeting, which lasted approximately three hours according to Israeli media, followed Kushner's discussions with Hamas leadership in Egypt. Hamas had previously agreed to a U.S.-backed roadmap in late July, which includes the disarmament of the militant group and an Israeli withdrawal from the Palestinian territory.

However, Netanyahu has rejected the current text, demanding a "true" disarmament of Hamas. Kushner's plea aligns with Trump's demands for progress on his 15-point peace plan. Despite this, Netanyahu reiterated to Kushner that Israeli forces will not withdraw from Gaza until Hamas is fully disarmed. A source indicated that Netanyahu found progress on the peace plan "problematic" due to upcoming Israeli elections in October.

Both Netanyahu and the Peace Board reportedly agreed that the initial step toward demilitarization would involve requesting Hamas to surrender its weapons for dismantling under U.S. supervision. While American officials have not confirmed this detail, a statement from Netanyahu's office indicated that "deep and constructive conversations" took place. Two working groups were established: one focused on the disarmament and demilitarization of Gaza, and another on sanitation, clean water, and public health issues for Gaza's population, which also impacts Israel.

Since the ceasefire in Gaza took effect, Israeli forces have reportedly killed over 1,265 people in the Strip, according to the enclave's Ministry of Health. Hamas has not launched any significant attacks into Israeli territory during this period. The meeting also included discussions with Nickolay Mladenov, representative of the Peace Board, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee.