Netanyahu, Kushner agree on US-supervised Hamas disarmament in Gaza

Israel says no Gaza redeployment or reconstruction until Hamas gives up weapons

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 Monday.

The agreement came during talks in Jerusalem as the administration of US President Donald Trump seeks to advance its plan to end the Gaza war.

The senior Israeli official said there would be no Israeli redeployment or reconstruction in Gaza before Hamas is disarmed across the territory.

Under the understanding, Hamas would hand over its weapons for decommissioning under the supervision of a US general. The roadmap agreed by Hamas on July 30 calls for weapons decommissioning to be overseen by the International Stabilization Force, a proposed multinational force expected to deploy to Gaza if conditions permit.

The force is led by US Major General Jasper Jeffers.

Hamas has said it is prepared to hand over its weapons to a new Palestinian governing body. The proposal has faced reservations from Netanyahu, while Trump has described it as a breakthrough.

An official with Trump's Board of Peace said all weapons collected would be fully decommissioned and that Israel would retain its right to self-defence.

The official added that Israel would be able to act if Hamas returned to violence, terrorism or attempts to rebuild its military capabilities.

Kushner, who is Trump's son-in-law and a longtime associate of Netanyahu, met the Israeli prime minister a day after holding direct talks with Hamas representatives in Egypt. Former British prime minister Tony Blair was also among those involved in the discussions.

According to sources familiar with the negotiations, Kushner pressed Hamas to demonstrate its commitment to surrendering its weapons and to renounce any future governing role in Gaza.

A Hamas official, represented in the talks by the group's new leader Khalil al-Hayya, said the group remained committed to the Gaza plan and called for pressure to be placed on Netanyahu.

Netanyahu faces political pressure

The agreement comes as Netanyahu faces a difficult political battle ahead of Israel's October 27 elections. His government has increasingly shown willingness to challenge Trump's positions despite the close relationship between the two leaders.

Netanyahu has also expressed opposition to Trump's decision to end the US-Israeli war with Iran, which began in late February, and pursue a settlement with Tehran.

Meanwhile, far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has used increasingly hardline rhetoric over Gaza. In a recent podcast interview, he called for Israel to kill dozens of people in Gaza each night, including those he said should not be considered civilians.

President Isaac Herzog, whose role is largely ceremonial, struck a more positive tone during a meeting with Kushner, praising the Board of Peace's efforts toward what he described as a more secure future for Israel, Gaza and the wider region.

According to Gaza's health ministry, which is controlled by Hamas, at least 1,265 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli operations since the ceasefire took effect on October 10. The United Nations considers the ministry's figures reliable.

The Israeli military has reported five deaths among its forces during Gaza operations over the same period.