Netanyahu yields to Trump on Gaza, betting Hamas won’t disarm
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu agreed to advance the US administration's Gaza plan in a meeting with envoy Jared Kushner despite his skepticism about Hamas' commitment.
TEL AVIV — Pressured by the Trump administration, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed Monday to move forward with the US plan for the Gaza Strip, though Israel has little faith in the ability of international stabilization forces to disarm Hamas, Israeli political sources told Al-Monitor.
The understandings reached between Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump’s envoy and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, regarding the 15-point plan for Gaza are primarily a response to political exigencies — Israel’s October elections and the US midterm elections, the political sources said.
Agreements and disagreements
At a four-hour meeting in Jerusalem, Netanyahu and Kushner agreed that Israel would not withdraw at this stage from the Gaza areas it currently controls — more than 50% of the territory — but would avoid attacking Hamas except in response to an immediate threat to its security. The meeting, which also included Nickolay Mladenov, head of the Board of Peace, and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, followed a Cairo meeting on Sunday between Kushner and Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya to secure the group’s commitment to disarm.
