Netanyahu-Kushner meet: US General to monitor Hamas disarmament as Israel rejects Gaza exit before weapons handover

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US envoy Jared Kushner have agreed that an American general will oversee the disarmament of Hamas in Gaza, an Israeli official said on Monday, as Israel insisted that no troop withdrawal or reconstruction would begin until the militant group gives up its weapons.

The agreement followed hours of talks in Jerusalem between Netanyahu and Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and a key US negotiator on the Gaza ceasefire plan. Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and other members of Trump’s US-created Board of Peace also participated in the discussions.

The meeting came a day after Kushner held rare direct talks with Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya in Egypt as Washington pushes to revive a 15-point roadmap for ending the Gaza war.

Quick answers to key questions

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QUESTIONS

Israel insists that Hamas must completely disarm before any troop withdrawal or reconstruction efforts can begin, as a security measure to ensure the safety of the region.

An American general will oversee the disarmament process of Hamas in Gaza, as part of a broader initiative aimed at the demilitarization of the territory.

The US-backed roadmap includes Hamas's disarmament, the establishment of a Palestinian governing structure, and steps toward Israeli troop withdrawal and reconstruction in Gaza.

Hamas has agreed in principle to hand over its weapons to a Palestinian technocratic committee and has expressed readiness to transfer governance in Gaza, provided Israel meets its commitments.

Netanyahu faces increasing regional pressure to accept the US-backed ceasefire plan, especially from countries condemning Israel's rejection of the proposal, as he prepares for upcoming elections.

Under the understanding reached on Monday, Hamas would hand over its weapons for decommissioning under the supervision of an American general. The process would be part of a broader effort to demilitarise Gaza.

“The first step toward the demilitarisation of the Strip would be to require Hamas to hand over its weapons for decommissioning under the supervision of an American general,” a senior Israeli official told AFP.

The International Stabilization Force, which is expected to deploy to Gaza if security conditions improve, is led by US Major General Jasper Jeffers. A roadmap agreed to by Hamas on July 30 had called for the force to supervise the decommissioning of weapons.

Israel demands disarmament before withdrawal

Netanyahu's office said Israel and the Board of Peace had agreed to establish two working groups — one focused on Hamas' disarmament and the demilitarisation of Gaza and another on public health.

The demilitarisation process “should be prompt and completed before any reconstruction,” Netanyahu's office said.

The position highlights a key disagreement over the US-backed roadmap. Hamas says it has accepted the plan, which includes disarmament and the creation of a new Palestinian governing structure. Israel, however, says Hamas must be completely disarmed before Israeli forces withdraw from Gaza.

Israeli troops currently control about 60% of the Gaza Strip. Hamas has demanded that Israel stop military operations and withdraw to the so-called “yellow line” before implementation of the plan begins.

The line has not been precisely defined, while Israeli forces have moved beyond it in several areas.

Hamas seeks pressure on Netanyahu

During his meeting with Kushner in Cairo, Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya reportedly reaffirmed the group's commitment to the US-backed roadmap and urged Washington and other mediators to pressure Netanyahu to accept it.

Hamas has agreed in principle to hand over its weapons to a Palestinian technocratic committee that would oversee the territory's day-to-day administration. However, the group has linked the surrender of its heavier weapons to progress toward the creation of a Palestinian state.

The US plan calls for a “credible pathway” toward Palestinian self-determination and statehood, a prospect rejected by Netanyahu's current government.

The disagreement has left several elements of the ceasefire arrangement on hold, including reconstruction and the deployment of international forces intended to separate Israeli troops from areas administered by the Palestinian committee.

Regional pressure mounts

Pressure on Israel to accept the roadmap has also increased across the region.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Pakistan, Indonesia and the countries involved in mediating the ceasefire issued a joint statement on Sunday condemning Israel's rejection of the proposal.

The countries said Israel now bears responsibility for obstructing efforts to establish peace in Gaza and called on the US and the Board of Peace to take “immediate and concrete measures” to prevent any party from blocking implementation.

Netanyahu faces political pressure

The negotiations are taking place as Netanyahu faces a difficult political battle ahead of Israel's October 27 election.

The prime minister has increasingly shown a willingness to challenge Trump, despite previously highlighting his close relationship with the US president. Netanyahu has also expressed dissatisfaction with Trump's decision to halt the US-Israeli war against Iran and pursue diplomacy with Tehran.

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