US Envoy Says No Rebuilding Until Hamas Surrenders Weapons

Jared Kushner made his stance crystal clear. The US envoy told Fox News the Trump administration will not let Gaza be rebuilt until Hamas hands over its weapons. He called this non-negotiable. Nobody wants to pour more money into a place that has suffered for so long if it is just going to be taken over by terrorists or blown up again. Kushner, who is Donald Trump's son-in-law, held talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday. That meeting did not produce a breakthrough to implement the roadmap Hamas already agreed to.

"We have a plan to rebuild Gaza," Kushner said in an interview. "But we will not allow Gaza to be rebuilt until the demilitarisation occurs." He explained that they also would not restrict Israel's right to defend itself if there are imminent threats. This clarification came after Israel rejected a proposal earlier this month, stating it would make no concessions until Gaza was fully demilitarised. Kushner appeared to adopt the Israeli viewpoint in emphasizing full demilitarisation before any Israeli withdrawal could happen. His family has deep personal ties to Netanyahu, which likely influenced his tone.

Israel launched near-daily attacks on Gaza recently. These strikes killed at least 1,265 people in the enclave since a ceasefire came into effect last year. Overall, Israel's war on Gaza has killed 73,399 Palestinians since October 2023. The death toll is staggering and reflects a brutal conflict that rages on. Earlier Monday, Trump called for an end to these Israeli strikes. He stated Israelis should not be striking in Gaza because Hamas agreed to lay down their weapons.

Over the past three years, the US has given Israel about $25bn in military aid. Washington has defended the Netanyahu government at international forums too. This included imposing sanctions on International Criminal Court officials investigating atrocities in Gaza. Kushner emphasized that the Gaza deal benefits Israel significantly. He called it a win-win situation for them. If Hamas gives over the weapons and tunnels willingly within 60 to 90 days, that would eliminate a huge security threat for Israel. He described this as almost an unthinkable achievement.

Kushner held a rare meeting with Hamas officials on Sunday as the US pushes for an end to the conflict. The talks were very cordial according to his account. But Washington will judge Hamas based on their actions rather than just words. "They said all the right things," Kushner noted. "But obviously, it's very, very hard to trust a terrorist organisation that committed these terrible atrocities." If Hamas does not follow through now on their commitment, everyone will see they are not genuine about peace. Then Israel will have more support from the US and others to finish the job in the appropriate way. The risk remains high for communities in Gaza if this deal fails.