‘We will not allow Gaza to be rebuilt’ until Hamas disarms, Kushner says

What the report says

US envoy Jared Kushner said the Trump administration will not back reconstruction in Gaza until Hamas disarms, linking rebuilding to what he described as the territory’s full demilitarisation. His remarks came after talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday in which, according to Al Jazeera, the two sides did not reach a breakthrough on a Gaza roadmap that Hamas had already accepted in principle.

Speaking to Fox News, Kushner said Washington would not finance rebuilding if the area could be retaken by armed groups or hit again. He also said the United States would not limit Israel’s right to respond to what it sees as immediate threats, a position that appeared to align closely with Israel’s long-standing demand for Hamas to give up its weapons before any wider Israeli withdrawal.

Al Jazeera reported that Hamas had agreed to disarm under a US-backed framework tied to Israeli withdrawal and an end to the fighting, but Israel rejected that proposal earlier this month, saying no concessions would come before Gaza is fully demilitarised. The report said Kushner also held a rare meeting with Hamas officials on Sunday and described it as cordial, while stressing that Washington would judge the group by its actions.

The comments matter because they underline the gap between US, Israeli and Hamas positions at a time when Gaza remains under continuing attack and discussion of postwar reconstruction is central to any ceasefire or peace effort.