An article summarized by Axios:

President Trump adviser Jared Kushner met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for four hours Monday to discuss the U.S. plan for Gaza. Kushner urged Israel to take “small steps” to test whether Hamas is genuinely willing to disarm, while Netanyahu expressed deep skepticism about Hamas and questioned why Kushner had met with its leaders in Egypt. Kushner said direct talks were necessary to determine whether Hamas was serious about demilitarization.

Much of the meeting focused on Netanyahu’s concerns about the plan and the political pressure he faces ahead of Israel’s October election. Under the proposed process, Hamas would hand its weapons to a Palestinian technocratic government, which would then turn them over to an International Stabilization Force for destruction. The U.S. also emphasized that Israel could continue responding to imminent threats from Hamas, while disagreements remain over what constitutes an “imminent threat.” The two sides agreed to establish a deconfliction mechanism involving Egyptian mediators to address potential threats and prevent escalation.

The meeting also produced agreements on humanitarian aid and demilitarization, with Netanyahu committing to steps to improve water and sanitation in Gaza. Two working groups will be created to address those issues, while the U.S. maintains that Gaza reconstruction should only begin after demilitarization. Trump separately called for Israel to stop airstrikes that are not directed at imminent threats. U.S. officials described the talks as productive but acknowledged that significant challenges remain, with the next major test being whether Hamas actually begins handing over its weapons.

For the article: https://www.axios.com/2026/08/17/kushner-netanyahu-hamas-gaza