Kushner Warns Hamas: Disarm Gaza or Face Israeli Military Action

US special envoy Jared Kushner stated on Monday that Hamas must honor its commitments to disarm or face an Israeli Defense Force (IDF) operation to “finish the job.”

Kushner told FOX News's Trey Yingst that if Hamas fails to follow through, Israel will have “a lot more support from the US and others.” His comments followed meetings with Hamas and the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG) in Cairo on Sunday, and with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog in Jerusalem on Monday.

Hamas affirmed its “commitment” to Trump's 20-point peace plan and a “15-point roadmap” where they commit to “giving up their weapons.” Kushner described the meeting with Hamas as “cordial,” stating they “said all the right things,” but acknowledged it is “very, very hard to trust” a terrorist organization. Kushner indicated that progress on demilitarization could begin in “as little as 30 days,” with weapons removal and tunnel filling in “60 to 90 days.”

He stated that the US would not support rebuilding Gaza before demilitarization occurs. Kushner met with Netanyahu for nearly four hours, describing it as “very, very good” and addressing “valid concerns” raised by the Israeli prime minister. Netanyahu had previously reprimanded Kushner over his meeting with Hamas leaders, according to former Israeli consul Yaki Dayan.

Dayan stated that Israel is “not completely in sync with the Americans” and that Netanyahu is not accepting the US plan for Hamas and Gaza. Israel and the US-backed Board of Peace agreed to establish two working groups: one for disarmament and demilitarization of Gaza, and another for sanitation, clean water, and public health. The Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem stated that disarmament must be completed promptly before any reconstruction begins.

President Herzog expressed being “impressed that Israel’s security interests are an important and central element” of the proposal. Netanyahu has rejected the proposed second phase of the peace plan, insisting on Hamas's complete disarmament before Israeli withdrawal. Hamas officials insisted that an Israeli withdrawal and an end to “all forms of aggression” were a “fundamental prerequisite” for their disarmament.