Gaza reconstruction will not be allowed until Hamas disarms: Kush

The United States will not allow the reconstruction of the war-torn Gaza Strip until Hamas surrenders its weapons, US President Donald Trump's special envoy Jared Kushner said.

Kushner met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday (August 17). However, there was no progress on implementing the roadmap for Gaza that Hamas has already agreed to at the meeting.

In an interview with Fox News, Kushner said, "We have a plan for the reconstruction of Gaza. But we will not allow the reconstruction of Gaza until it is disarmed."

He said that neither side wants to invest more money in an area where there has been a long-standing conflict and that it could fall back into "terrorist control" in the future or be destroyed again.

Hamas agreed to lay down its weapons as part of a process supported by the United States. In return, Israeli forces were supposed to withdraw from Gaza and stop deadly attacks on Palestinian territories. However, Israel rejected the proposal earlier this month. The country claims that it will not make any concessions until Gaza is completely demilitarized.

In the interview, Kushner emphasized the complete disarmament of Hamas and said that Israel's right to defend itself in the event of an immediate threat would not be limited.

Meanwhile, Israeli attacks on Gaza continue. At least 1,265 people have been killed in Israeli attacks in the valley since the "so-called ceasefire" took effect last year. The report states that a total of 73,399 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's military operation in Gaza since October 2023.

On Monday, Trump called for an end to Israeli attacks on Gaza. He said that the Israelis should not attack Gaza. Hamas has agreed to surrender its weapons.

The United States has provided Israel with nearly $25 billion in military aid over the past three years and has supported the Netanyahu government in international forums, including sanctions on officials at the International Criminal Court investigating atrocities in Gaza.

Kushner insisted that the Gaza deal was also beneficial for Israel.

“We think it’s a win-win situation for Israel,” he said. “If Hamas voluntarily hands over its weapons and tunnels within the next 60 to 90 days, it would eliminate a major security threat to Israel.”

Kushner also met with Hamas officials on Sunday as part of a U.S. effort to end the Gaza crisis. He described the talks as “cordial,” but said Washington would judge Hamas by their actions rather than their words.

Kushner said Hamas had made the right calls in the talks, but it was difficult to trust an organization accused of carrying out "horrific atrocities" in the past.

Source: Al Jazeera