Netanyahu and Kushner Reach Key Understandings on Gaza Reconstruction and Hamas Disarmament

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held an extensive meeting with Jared Kushner and senior members of the U.S. peace council on Monday to discuss the future of Gaza and the disarmament of Hamas. The talks lasted about four hours, followed by a private one-hour conversation between Netanyahu and Kushner. The meeting included U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Herzog, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, and UN envoy Nikolay Mladenov.

The parties agreed that Gaza's reconstruction will not begin until Hamas is fully disarmed throughout the territory. Unlike previous proposals, the weapons handed over by Hamas will not merely be decommissioned but completely destroyed under American supervision led by General Jeffries. This ensures that the weapons cannot be reused in the future.

Despite U.S. demands, Israel confirmed it will maintain its policy of targeted killings in Gaza. Netanyahu emphasized that Israel requires the complete disarmament of Hamas before any Israeli withdrawal, contrasting with the U.S. plan which suggested a phased approach. The meeting followed Kushner's talks in Egypt with senior Hamas officials, including Khalil al-Hayya, where Hamas linked disarmament steps to Israeli commitments.

These understandings mark significant progress for Israel, securing conditions that prioritize full Hamas disarmament and weapon destruction before reconstruction efforts. However, the main challenge remains the implementation, as Hamas continues to demand reciprocal Israeli actions and disagreements persist over the sequence of steps.

The discussions underscore Israel's insistence on operational freedom and security guarantees amid ongoing diplomatic efforts to stabilize Gaza.