Jared Kushner met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday for an hourslong discussion aimed at reviving stalled Gaza ceasefire talks, but the meeting produced no breakthrough on the key sticking point: whether Hamas must fully disarm before Israeli troops withdraw from the territory.
Kushner, President Trump’s son-in-law and Middle East envoy, had met with Hamas leaders in Egypt the previous day as part of a renewed diplomatic push to advance Trump’s 15-point Gaza peace roadmap. The Netanyahu meeting included U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, both members of Trump’s Board of Peace.
According to a senior Israeli official, Kushner and Netanyahu agreed that Gaza’s “demilitarization” should begin with Hamas weapons being handed over under supervision by an American military general. They also agreed to establish two working groups: one on disarmament and demilitarization, and another on sanitation, clean water, and public health issues.
However, Netanyahu made clear that the Israeli Defense Forces will not redeploy from Gaza and will continue military operations there until Hamas is “genuinely disarmed.” Netanyahu’s office said the meeting was “deep and constructive,” but the prime minister reiterated his firm position: no Israeli withdrawal without full Hamas disarmament first.
This stance represents the core impasse blocking progress. Hamas, which has said it will disarm, insists that Israel must first halt its strikes and withdraw from Gaza to a line known as the “yellow line.” The group also demands international recognition of a Palestinian state before laying down its heavy weapons—a demand Israel’s government rejects.
Months of Stalled Negotiations
The first phase of the ceasefire took effect on October 10, 2025, following Trump’s 20-point peace plan announced that month. It called for the release of hostages and an Israeli withdrawal to an agreed line. However, the transition to the second phase—which centers on Hamas disarmament and full Israeli withdrawal—has stalled for nearly ten months.
Netanyahu rejected Trump’s revised 15-point roadmap just a week before the Kushner meeting, saying Israel would not withdraw at all until Hamas was disarmed. The rejection marked a rare public break between the Israeli government and the Trump administration, which has been pushing hard to advance the plan.
According to a Board of Peace official, the U.S. and Israel do agree on the “end state” of talks—a demilitarized Hamas—but differ sharply on the sequence and conditions for achieving it. The official said the U.S. is “finding ways to accelerate progress,” though Netanyahu faces domestic political pressure from his far-right coalition partners, who oppose any Gaza ceasefire deal. Netanyahu is also preparing for Israeli elections in October.
Israel’s military has continued operations in Gaza since the ceasefire began, killing around 1,200 Palestinians according to Gaza’s health ministry. Hamas has insisted that Israel halt these strikes before implementation of the disarmament plan can proceed. Regional powers—including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey—issued a joint statement condemning Israel’s rejection of the roadmap and calling on the Trump administration to take “immediate and concrete measures” to prevent obstruction.
Sources
- NBC News — details of Kushner-Netanyahu meeting, agreement on U.S. general overseeing disarmament, working groups established
- The Guardian — Netanyahu’s insistence on Hamas disarmament before withdrawal, no breakthrough, Hamas demands, regional statement
- Reuters — Hamas talks with Kushner, Netanyahu’s rejection of phased plan
- NPR — Kushner’s rare meeting with Hamas chief, Gaza ceasefire roadmap context
- BBC News — Kushner’s diplomatic effort, working groups agreement, Trump’s Board of Peace role
