Jared Kushner Admits Some Gaza Aid Reached Terror Groups, Calls for Demilitarization

Jared Kushner, senior advisor to former U.S. President Donald Trump, acknowledged that portions of financial aid sent to Gaza have ended up in the hands of terrorist organizations, including Hamas. Speaking in a closed video conference with foreign ministers from Europe and Arab countries in Brussels, Kushner introduced what he termed a "new approach" to Gaza's reconstruction alongside the launch of a 900 million euro aid package.

Kushner criticized the current aid distribution system, stating it is heavily influenced by NGOs and terrorist groups, which have diverted funds to purchase weapons, build tunnels, and develop rockets. He emphasized the need to move beyond temporary relief measures toward a fundamental change that would eliminate the need for future donor conferences.

Central to Kushner's proposal is the demilitarization of Hamas. He asserted that reconstruction efforts cannot succeed while armed groups maintain military capabilities. Kushner outlined the principle of "one government with one weapon" as a prerequisite for progress. Although he did not explicitly mention UNRWA, his remarks were interpreted as a call to bypass the agency, a stance that could provoke tensions with the European Union, the largest donor to UNRWA.