US Envoy says Gaza disarmament could begin within 30 days as US pushes peace plan

US Envoy Jared Kushner disclosed on August 17 that a potential disarming of Hamas and the initiation of a Gaza peace plan could commence within a 30-day timeframe. This assertion was made during discussions with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv. Kushner and Netanyahu reached a consensus that an American general would oversee and verify Hamas's disarmament, a statement echoed by an Israeli official.

Netanyahu, however, reiterated Israel's unwillingness to withdraw from Gaza until the disarming process is completed. This development represents a renewed endeavor by the Trump administration to alleviate Israeli apprehensions following Netanyahu's rejection of the latest element of a US-backed plan aimed at ending the Gaza war.

Kushner, who is Trump's son-in-law and a long-standing friend of Netanyahu, had met the Israeli premier in Jerusalem the day prior to his talks with Hamas representatives in Egypt. While Hamas has formally endorsed the US-backed plan, Washington is insisting on Hamas's commitment to surrendering its weapons and renouncing any future role in governing Gaza.

The sides also agreed that no redeployment or reconstruction would occur in the Gaza Strip until Hamas is disarmed throughout the territory, with the first step being the handover of weapons for decommissioning under the supervision of an American general. A roadmap approved by Hamas on July 30 stipulated that weapons decommissioning would be overseen by the International Stabilization Force, a proposed multinational force under the leadership of US Major General Jasper Jeffers.

Hamas had pledged to deliver its weapons to a new Palestinian governing body, a proposal that garnered skepticism from Netanyahu but was welcomed by Trump as a potential breakthrough. The Board of Peace, comprising members such as former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, was involved in the negotiations, with Kushner demanding evidence of weapon surrender and a renunciation of any future governing role during his talks in Egypt.

This diplomatic effort unfolds against a backdrop of increasing hardline rhetoric within Netanyahu's government, with Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving prime minister and facing a crucial election on October 27, expressing growing dissent towards Trump's decision to suspend the US-Israeli war against Iran and negotiate with Tehran instead.

Far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has called for intensified killings in Gaza, advocating for the killing of 30 to 40 people nightly. Israeli President Isaac Herzog, while expressing more optimism, praised the Board of Peace's efforts to ensure a safer future for Israel, Gaza, and the broader region. Since the ceasefire took effect on October 10, Israeli military operations have resulted in at least 1,265 Palestinian deaths, according to Gaza's health ministry, which is controlled by Hamas. The Israeli army has reported five deaths during Gaza operations within the same period.