Hamas officials told Jared Kushner they will take steps to demilitarize Gaza, according to a new report. He asked for concrete steps and met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to make advancements on the other side, according to a new report.
Axios detailed that the group's leaders reaffirmed their commitment to disarm, with a source saying that the meeting was "very productive" in the goal of ensuring concrete steps to that end. They asked him to tell President Donald Trump of their stance. The agreement includes transferring government authority to a technocratic authoriry and ensuring Hamas is not involved in the future governance of Gaza.
Kushner was joined by Board of Peace high representative Nickolay Mladenov and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, also a member of the board.
"It was important for Kushner to lock them into this commitment in person," the source told the outlet. That is a key step to ensure Israel takes steps of its own.
"Kushner told them there is no room for negotiations on the disarmament, but if they show real steps the U.S. will do its best to make sure Israel takes steps of its own," the source added.
Kushner, Mladenov and Blair also met with Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Monday on the matter. A readout has not been released, but comes after Netanyahu rejected Trump's 15-point Gaza plan.
Netanyahu has said that the Israel Defense Forces would not withdraw from Gaza until Hamas is 'genuinely disarmed', adding that the country would continue acting against threats to its troops and citizens. Netanyahu also made clear that he believes disarmament must include both heavy and lighter weapons, rather than a limited surrender of military capabilities.
He said Israel remains in discussions with Washington, acknowledging that some American proposals are acceptable while others are not.
Trump announced the agreement on July 30, describing the proposed complete disarmament of Hamas and other armed groups as a 'monumental step' towards lasting peace and security. The announcement raised hopes that a framework could finally move the conflict beyond repeated cycles of ceasefires and renewed fighting.
But the disagreement over sequencing emerged almost immediately. Hamas officials have indicated that Israel must stop its military campaign and fulfil withdrawal commitments before it gives up its weapons. Israel's position is essentially the reverse: Hamas must first surrender its military capability before Israeli forces withdraw.
