US envoy Jared Kushner met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday after holding talks with Hamas leaders in Egypt, as Washington seeks to revive the stalled second phase of a Gaza peace plan.
Kushner, a senior adviser to President Donald Trump, reportedly urged Hamas to take “concrete and verifiable” steps toward disarmament and made clear that the group would have no future role in governing Gaza.
Hamas approved the latest US-backed roadmap in July but has urged mediators and Trump’s Board of Peace to pressure Israel to accept the agreement and establish a timetable for implementation.
Netanyahu Insists on Complete Disarmament
Netanyahu has rejected the proposed second phase unless Hamas is fully and verifiably disarmed.
Under the roadmap, Hamas would surrender its weapons while Israeli forces would withdraw from parts of Gaza. However, Israeli troops remain deployed across a significant portion of the territory, according to sources familiar with the negotiations.
Kushner is also expected to meet Nickolay Mladenov, the Board of Peace’s senior representative for Gaza, as part of the diplomatic push.
Regional Pressure on Israel
Egypt, Qatar and Türkiye, alongside Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan and Indonesia, have criticised Israel’s rejection of the latest peace roadmap.
The eight countries warned that Israel’s position could undermine international efforts to establish lasting peace in Gaza.
Hamas has also called on the mediators and Trump’s Board of Peace to pressure Israel to approve the proposed framework.
Violence Continues Despite Ceasefire
The renewed diplomatic effort comes amid continued violence in Gaza despite a ceasefire that began in October 2025.
Palestinian officials reported casualties following Israeli strikes and shootings in parts of central and southern Gaza on Sunday. Israel said its forces were responding to threats from militants linked to Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, at least 1,262 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire began, while Israel says five soldiers and a Defence Ministry contractor have also died during the same period.
The negotiations remain deadlocked over a fundamental disagreement: Hamas says it supports the roadmap, while Netanyahu insists that complete and verifiable disarmament must come before further Israeli withdrawal.
