Prime Minister Netanyahu and U.S. envoy Jared Kushner met for four hours Monday to advance President Trump's Gaza peace plan. Netanyahu reiterated that Israeli withdrawal is contingent on full disarmament of Hamas and that the sequence is non-negotiable. In subsequent Fox News remarks, Kushner said the U.S. will not restrict Israel's ability to defend itself against imminent threats and that if Hamas fails to fulfill commitments, Washington will back Israel to 'finish the job.'
The Monday meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. envoy Jared Kushner, lasting roughly four hours, focused on operationalizing President Trump's Gaza peace plan. Netanyahu reiterated Jerusalem's red line: the Israel Defense Forces will not withdraw from Gaza until Hamas is fully disarmed, and the sequence of events—disarmament first, then withdrawal and reconstruction—is not negotiable.
Kushner later clarified the U.S. position in an interview with Fox News. He stated that Washington will not restrict Israel's right to self-defense against imminent threats, and that while the administration will give Hamas a chance to meet its commitments, failure to do so will leave Israel with American backing to 'finish the job.' Kushner also said the U.S. will not allow Gaza to be rebuilt before demilitarization occurs.
As The Zioneer reported Monday evening, the meeting produced a partial agreement: a U.S. general will oversee the transfer of Hamas weapons to a Palestinian technocratic administration. However, no agreement was reached on continued targeted killings, with Netanyahu insisting he will proceed and Kushner opposing. The latest statements add public clarification of the U.S. stance and reinforce the Israeli demand for a rigid sequence.
Netanyahu's position on disarmament-first has been consistent across recent cabinet meetings and public statements, including his remarks Sunday that Gaza reconstruction hinges on disarmament and that residents who wish to leave should be permitted to do so. The Trump administration, through Kushner, now appears to align with the sequencing framework while leaving room for Israeli operational freedom.
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