‘We will not allow Gaza to be rebuilt’ until Hamas disarms, Kushner says

United States envoy Jared Kushner has declared that reconstruction in the Gaza Strip will not commence until Hamas surrenders its weapons. Kushner, who is also former President Donald Trump's son-in-law, conveyed this stance in an interview with Fox News, asserting that the U.S. administration will not impede Israel's right to self-defense.

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We have a plan to rebuild Gaza, but we will not allow Gaza to be rebuilt until the demilitarisation occurs.

Kushner's comments came after a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that failed to yield a breakthrough on a U.S.-backed roadmap for Gaza, which Hamas had previously agreed to. He stressed that the U.S. has a plan for Gaza's rebuilding but insisted it is conditional on the demilitarization of Hamas. "Nobody wants to put more money into a place that’s gone on for so long if it’s just going to be taken over by terrorists or blown up again," Kushner stated.

Hamas had agreed to disarm as part of a U.S.-proposed process that would also involve an Israeli withdrawal and an end to attacks on the Palestinian territory. However, Israel rejected this proposal, maintaining that it would not make concessions until Gaza is fully demilitarized. Kushner appeared to align with the Israeli position, emphasizing full demilitarization before any Israeli withdrawal.

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Nobody wants to put more money into a place that’s gone on for so long if it’s just going to be taken over by terrorists or blown up again.

"We’re also not going to restrict Israel’s right to defend itself if there are any imminent threats," Kushner added, noting the need to clarify such actions. This statement follows near-daily Israeli attacks on Gaza, which have resulted in a significant Palestinian death toll since a previous ceasefire. Former President Trump also called for an end to the strikes, citing Hamas's agreement to lay down arms.

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We’re also not going to restrict Israel’s right to defend itself if there are any imminent threats.

Kushner framed the proposed Gaza deal as a win-win for Israel, suggesting that Hamas's voluntary disarmament and dismantling of tunnels within 60 to 90 days would eliminate a major security threat. He warned that if Hamas does not fulfill its commitment, Israel would gain increased support from the U.S. and other nations to "finish the job in the appropriate way."

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For Israel, we think this is a win-win situation, because if Hamas actually gives over the weapons and the tunnels willingly over the next 60 to 90 days, that obviously would be the elimination of a huge security threat for Israel, almost an unthinkable achievement.