U.S. envoy Jared Kushner and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed the next phase of the U.S.-mediated Gaza cease-fire deal Monday, with talks centering on Hamas’ disarmament and the creation of an international stabilization force in the besieged Palestinian enclave.
Shosh Bedrosian, a spokeswoman for Netanyahu’s office, said the two reviewed “phase one, which we are currently still in,” and “the future of phase two,” which she claimed includes “the disarming of Hamas, demilitarizing Gaza and ensuring Hamas will have no role in the future of Gaza ever again.”
The second phase also envisions an international force to oversee stabilization efforts in Gaza, she said.
The meeting between Kushner, former U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, and Netanyahu came a month after Washington and regional partners pushed Israel and Hamas to accept a truce following two years of devastating war.
Progress on Trump’s cease-fire plan, however, hinges on resolving issues that have derailed previous efforts, including the immediate dispute over hundreds of Hamas fighters still holed up in tunnels in Rafah, an area under continued Israeli military control.
An Israeli government spokesperson said the discussions covered Hamas’ disarmament and Gaza’s future governance – matters to be tackled in the coming round of negotiations. An official familiar with the talks said Kushner and Netanyahu also discussed the proposed stabilization force under the U.S. plan.
About 200 fighters remain trapped underground, with Hamas demanding safe passage for them – a condition Israel has rejected. U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff previously described resolving this issue as a “test case” for future steps in the broader cease-fire plan.
Diplomatic sources said Israel has opposed any safe-passage arrangement toward Gaza or Egypt. Hamas, meanwhile, insists it will not accept unconditional surrender but seeks to avoid any pretext that could jeopardize the fragile truce.
Long-term progress depends on agreement over a transitional governing body for Gaza excluding Hamas, the deployment of an international stabilization force, and reconstruction terms. The United Arab Emirates said Monday it sees no clear framework for such a force and would not join under current conditions.
On Sunday, Hamas returned the remains of an Israeli soldier killed more than a decade ago, leaving four bodies still held in Gaza. Under the truce, Hamas was expected to return all 28 hostage remains, though Israeli officials admit accessing some may be difficult. An international task force is expected to assist.
Both Israel and Hamas have accused each other of violating the October truce, with Israel citing delays in hostage returns and Hamas accusing Israel of blocking humanitarian aid. Palestinian health authorities say Israeli airstrikes since the truce have killed at least 244 people, including a child in a Monday strike in southern Gaza.
Israel’s military did not immediately comment.
