US Envoy Jared Kushner Meets with Hamas and Israeli Leaders to Discuss Gaza Disarmament

US special envoy Jared Kushner held direct talks with Hamas chief Khalil al-Hayya in Egypt on Sunday and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Monday to advance a Gaza peace plan. The discussions center on the disarmament of Hamas and the subsequent reconstruction of the Gaza Strip. Kushner stated in an interview with Fox News that the US will not allow Gaza to be rebuilt until demilitarization occurs, and he warned that Israel would have more US support to finish its military operation if Hamas fails to honor its commitments. While Kushner expressed optimism that progress on removing weapons could begin in as little as 30 days, with tunnels filled in 60 to 90 days, significant disagreements remain regarding the process. Hamas has affirmed its commitment to a 15-point roadmap that involves a gradual handover of weapons in exchange for phased Israeli withdrawals. However, Prime Minister Netanyahu has rejected this gradual approach, insisting that Hamas must be completely disarmed before any Israeli redeployment or reconstruction begins. To address this deadlock, two joint working groups have been established: one focused on disarmament and demilitarization, and another focused on humanitarian issues such as sanitation and public health. Reports indicate that weapons surrendered by Palestinian factions would be handed directly to an American-led International Stabilization Force under US General Jasper Jeffers rather than to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza. This specific mechanism has been highlighted as a point of potential sensitivity for Palestinian factions. In a separate development, the Israeli military announced it killed Tareq Anwar Khamis Ra’i, an Islamic Jihad company commander involved in the October 7 attacks, during a strike in Khan Younis.