Kushner: Hamas has 60-90 days to hand over weapons

Jared Kushner, Donald Trump's son-in-law, concluded two days of meetings with Israeli and Hamas leaders on Monday, striving to resolve a deadlock surrounding the US President's Gaza plan. However, no significant breakthrough seemed forthcoming as both parties maintained their stances. The negotiations took place two weeks after Hamas endorsed the latest phase of Trump's Gaza plan, a proposal that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had previously opposed, insisting that any settlement must guarantee the group's "genuinely disarmed" state.

Kushner had met with Netanyahu in Israel a day prior to engaging with Hamas' political leader in Egypt to revive the plan. The discord escalated as Israel continued air strikes and expanded its territorial control in Gaza, despite an October ceasefire, while Hamas remained firm in its refusal to relinquish weapons. Two sources revealed that Kushner's meeting with Netanyahu lasted several hours.

Nickolay Mladenov, the high representative for Gaza on the US "Board of Peace" responsible for implementing the plan, was also present. An Israeli official indicated that no breakthrough occurred during the meeting, with Netanyahu asserting that the military would not retreat from the demarcation line established in the October ceasefire and would continue operations in Gaza as deemed necessary, including targeting individuals involved in the October 7, 2023 attack that sparked the war.

The official added that both Netanyahu and Kushner agreed that Gaza's reconstruction could not commence until Hamas was fully disarmed, encompassing light weapons. The prime minister's office released a statement describing the meeting as "deep and constructive," stating that Israel and the Board of Peace deemed Hamas' disarmament "prompt and complete" a prerequisite for reconstruction.

They further noted that Netanyahu consented to establish two working groups: one focused on disarmament and demilitarization, and another addressing sanitation, clean water, and public health in Gaza. Hamas demanded Israel adhere to the ceasefire, and both sides disagreed on the sequence of implementation for Trump's peace plan.

Over 1,200 Palestinians and four Israeli soldiers had been killed in Gaza since October, as per Gaza health officials and the Israeli military. No immediate comment from the Board of Peace was made. The previous day, Kushner met with Hamas' new leader Khalil al-Hayya in El-Alamein, Egypt, where the discussions centered on weapon verification and Hamas' renunciation of future governance in the Palestinian territory.

Hamas responded by affirming its commitment to the Gaza plan and seeking pressure on Netanyahu to adhere to the roadmap agreement. The Trump administration's willingness to engage directly with Hamas aims to end the conflict's devastation, following their negotiation of the October ceasefire that led to the release of remaining Israeli hostages.

Netanyahu, facing tight elections in October, has become increasingly willing to defy Trump, whose endorsement he once utilized in his campaign. Netanyahu's stance contrasts with Mladenov's assurance that Israel would not withdraw until Hamas achieved full disarmament, contradicting earlier Board of Peace calls for a phased Israeli withdrawal.

Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir called for nightly targeted killings in Gaza, suggesting that even those who pose no immediate threat should be eliminated. Eight Muslim-majority countries, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates, condemned Israel's rejection of the Gaza plan in a joint statement, while Israel resumed airstrikes in the territory following a brief lull since the ceasefire's implementation.

Over 1,265 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire began on October 10, and the Israeli army reported five fatalities during Gaza operations in the same period.