Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with US envoy Jared Kushner in Jerusalem on Monday to discuss a stalled ceasefire deal and a US-backed 15-point peace plan for Gaza. The meeting followed rare talks Kushner held over the weekend with Hamas leaders in Egypt in an effort to advance the road map. The Trump administration continues to press for Israel's approval of the plan, which Netanyahu has so far rejected.
During the discussions, Netanyahu insisted that the IDF will not withdraw from the Gaza Strip or cease military operations until Hamas first and genuinely disarms. He maintained that no redeployment or reconstruction would take place in the strip before this disarmament occurs. While Hamas endorsed the latest stage of the US plan, the Israeli Prime Minister has refused to support the road map without these guarantees.
Despite the lack of a breakthrough, Netanyahu and Kushner agreed that an American general would oversee the disarmament of Hamas. Kushner assured the Prime Minister that the Israeli army would not be compelled to withdraw until the group gives up its weapons. However, the talks remain stalled as Israel continues military operations in Gaza and Hamas refuses to hand over its weapons.