US envoy Jared Kushner met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem for a nearly four-hour meeting on August 17, 2026, after holding direct talks with Hamas political bureau chief Khalil al-Hayya in Egypt, completing a parallel-track diplomatic push on Trump's 15-point Gaza roadmap [3][9][24]. Kushner was accompanied by Board of Peace Director-General Nickolay Mladenov and former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair [19][43]. The talks ended without a breakthrough as both sides held firm on opposing demands for the sequence of Hamas disarmament and Israeli withdrawal [4][12][21].
The central dispute centers on sequencing. Netanyahu insists that Israeli forces will not withdraw from Gaza until Hamas is fully and verifiably disarmed, including light weapons and tunnels, with verification by a US general and continued Israeli freedom of military action [3][7][16][25]. An Israeli source present at the meeting stated that nothing would be granted that could pave the way for a Palestinian state and that the initial idea of "pilot zones" is no longer discussed [18]. Hamas officials argue they have complied with the ceasefire and that implementation of disarmament depends on Israel first halting military operations and withdrawing from the 60% of Gaza it occupies [4][9][19]. Khalil al-Hayya demanded that Israel halt its attacks and withdraw to the yellow line before implementation begins [9].
Kushner described his meeting with Hamas as "very cordial" and said they "said the right things," while expressing deep distrust of "a terrorist organization that committed these terrible atrocities" [1][3]. He told Hamas officials there is no room for negotiation on actual disarmament but promised US pressure on Israel to fulfill its obligations if Hamas takes concrete steps [10]. Kushner committed to a concurrent Israeli withdrawal with Hamas disarmament but rejected Hamas's proposal to store weapons inside Gaza, insisting they must leave the enclave [15][29]. He predicted progress on removing weapons in as little as 30 days and filling tunnels in 60 to 90 days [3][24]. Kushner also stated that the United States does not support any plan to relocate Gaza's residents [14][32].
Middle East analysts framed the direct US-Hamas engagement as a strategic shift. Mahjoob Zweiri, a lecturer at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, described the meeting as "a type of American submission to the fact that Hamas is a political force in Palestinian society that cannot be ignored" [2]. Adel Shadid, an expert in Israeli affairs, said the Cairo talks reveal "a shift in the American position towards Hamas," indicating that Hamas is no longer the problem but part of the solution [2]. Ahmed Atawna, director of the Istanbul-based Vision Center for Political Development, assessed that Palestinian factions, supported by Egyptian, Qatari, and Turkish mediation, are negotiating from a favorable tactical position [2].
Official US and Israeli accounts offered a more optimistic framing. A Board of Peace official described the Netanyahu meeting as "lengthy, in depth, and very productive," stating that agreement was reached on a path forward and that it is now up to Hamas to show if it truly intends to comply [4][24]. Netanyahu's office characterized the meeting as "deep and constructive" and announced agreement to establish two working groups — one on disarmament and demilitarization, the other on sanitation and public health [16][23][35]. Israeli President Isaac Herzog praised the plan, saying he was impressed that Israel's security interests are "an important and central element" [24]. Trump stated that Hamas was "giving up their guns" and suggested he might endorse a candidate in upcoming Israeli elections [17]. Both Palestinians and Israelis remain broadly skeptical that the shuttle diplomacy can produce a durable agreement [31][4][12].
Eight Arab and Muslim-majority states — Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Pakistan, and Indonesia — issued a joint statement condemning Israel's rejection of the roadmap as an explicit refusal that "directly threatens to derail the broad efforts" led by Trump [11][22][25]. The statement asserted that Israel bears "direct and full responsibility" for obstructing the peace process and called for a two-state solution based on 1967 borders [11][14]. Netanyahu's Likud party responded by accusing Arab states of seeking Netanyahu's electoral defeat so that centrist rivals would grant concessions [9][11].
Academic analysts linked Netanyahu's rejection to domestic electoral calculations. Hasni Abidi, director of the Center for Studies and Research on the Arab and Mediterranean World, stated that Netanyahu has no electoral interest in making concessions, with polls unfavorable to him and pressure from his far-right coalition partners [15]. Khaled Elgindy, a Middle East specialist at the Quincy Institute, argued that « le rejet de la feuille de route par Benyamin Netanyahu est étroitement lié aux élections » (Netanyahu's rejection of the roadmap is closely tied to the elections), as any sign of compromise would be used against him by coalition extremists [29]. Analysts cited by Infobae said Netanyahu's stance reflected Israel's hawkish turn after October 7, 2023, and his need to attract voters ahead of national elections [27].
Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called for nightly targeted killings of 30 or 40 people in Gaza, stating: "Not just those who pose an immediate threat — there are people there who are not worthy of life. They shouldn't live. They're not even people" [3][5][23]. Iran's deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi condemned the comments, stating that "this Zionist criminal speaks at the same time of expelling Palestinians and of settlement construction across the entire Gaza Strip" and that the confessions must be preserved for future trials [6]. Israeli opposition leaders warned that far-right pressure from Ben-Gvir and Smotrich was dragging Netanyahu toward disastrous escalation; Yair Lapid called a cabinet decision on Gaza a "disaster that will lead to many additional disasters," and Yair Golan described it as a "death sentence for the hostages" [46].
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan praised Hamas for showing "genuine co-operation" with the peace process and criticized Israel's aggressive stance, aligning Turkey with the Hamas and mediator framing over Israel's disarmament-first position [17][49]. Erdogan told Trump that Israel's attacks on Palestinians in Gaza had increased when the second phase of the peace plan was supposed to come into effect [24].
French legal scholars challenged the plan's legal foundation. Patrick Zahnd, head of JURDI (Jurists for International Law), called the UN resolution underpinning the plan a "legal monstrosity" and described it as an "illegal protectorate" over Gaza [50]. Rafaëlle Maison, a professor of law at Université Paris-Saclay, argued that the Security Council gave Donald Trump "full powers" in Gaza, describing it as "a kind of personal power in a colonial situation" [50].
The two working groups on disarmament and public health are expected to begin their work in the coming weeks, with Kushner predicting incremental progress within 30 days [3][16][24]. Netanyahu has instructed the IDF to seek political approval for military activities in Gaza beyond the Yellow Line, driven by concerns over potential US arms restrictions [10]. At least 1,260 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the late 2025 ceasefire took effect, according to Al Jazeera [19].