A meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and special envoy Jared Kushner on a stalled ceasefire agreement in Gaza has made no progress. Netanyahu made it clear that Israeli troops will not withdraw from Gaza until Hamas surrenders its weapons.

An Israeli official said no agreement was reached during a three-hour meeting in Israel on Monday. Netanyahu said Israeli troops would not withdraw from Gaza. They would continue their operation there.

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Israel will not withdraw troops from Gaza unless Hamas disarms

The Guardian

Published: 18 August 2026, 10:16Photo: The Guardian

A day earlier, Kushner met with Hamas political chief Khalil al-Haya in Egypt on Sunday. At that meeting, Hamas demanded that troops withdraw from about 60 percent of the Israeli-occupied territory in Gaza before the agreement could be implemented.

Monday’s meeting comes after Netanyahu strongly rejected a 15-point US-backed roadmap to advance a ceasefire in Gaza a week ago.

Netanyahu reiterated his position in his meeting with Kushner, saying that Israeli troops cannot withdraw from Gaza or begin rebuilding there until Hamas is completely disarmed. He also requested the appointment of a US general to oversee the transfer of weapons to Hamas.

Netanyahu’s office said in a statement that the prime minister and the Peace Board had “deep and constructive discussions.” They agreed to form two working groups to demilitarize and demilitarize Gaza. Israel and the Peace Board want to complete this work quickly. It is said that it should be completed before the start of reconstruction in Gaza.

A Board of Peace official also described the meeting as long, detailed and productive. He said they agreed with Prime Minister Netanyahu on a way forward. Now it is up to them to show whether Hamas really wants to abide by the agreement.

Where Hamas-Israel stands

Hamas said it had agreed to a 15-point roadmap, which includes the disarmament of Hamas. However, the group called on the mediating countries and the Peace Board to persuade Israel to agree to the deal.

Officials from mediating Egypt, Qatar and Turkey were also present at the talks.

According to the roadmap, Israel must withdraw its troops from Gaza in stages. But Israel says no troops will be withdrawn until Hamas is completely disarmed. These two opposing positions are the root cause of the long-standing stalemate.

Israeli forces currently control about 60 percent of Gaza, and Netanyahu has previously threatened to seize more territory.

Kushner met with Hamas political chief Khalil al-Hayya on Sunday, a regional official and a Hamas official confirmed the meeting, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The Hamas official said the organization is committed to implementing the agreement. They are waiting for the mediators to begin a 14-day negotiation period. During this period, a timetable for implementing the agreement is expected to be set. However, this requires agreement on a roadmap by all parties.

The Hamas official added that Hamas leaders have demanded that Israel stop its attacks on Gaza and withdraw its troops to the so-called “Yellow Line” before the agreement can be implemented. The exact location of this line dividing Gaza has never been determined. Israeli troops have also moved beyond it.

Growing differences between Trump and Netanyahu

Israeli media reports say Trump is increasingly frustrated with Netanyahu’s reluctance to move forward with the Gaza ceasefire plan. Trump also believes Netanyahu is not fulfilling his promises under the agreement, the report said.

Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported that the Trump administration was supposed to have a list of specific steps it wanted during its visit to Israel with Kushner, including an end to Israeli attacks on Gaza, advancing the troop withdrawal process, and significantly increasing humanitarian aid.

However, a report in Haaretz claims that the US has given Israel permission to continue its attacks on Gaza. This contradicts Trump’s statement on Monday, when he said that Israel should not attack Gaza.

Netanyahu’s meeting with Kushner was also attended by former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Nickolay Mladenov, a member of Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’.

But the timing of the meeting is politically important for Netanyahu. Israel is due to hold national elections later this year. Netanyahu is under pressure in opinion polls. Netanyahu’s role has been a highly sensitive issue in the country’s politics ahead of the Gaza war and the surprise attack by Hamas on the Israeli border on October 7, 2023.

Why is there such a stalemate in the implementation of the ceasefire?

A meeting between Hamas leaders in Egypt in October 2025 with Kushner and another US special envoy, Steve Witkoff, helped finalize a ceasefire in Gaza. But the implementation of the agreement then stalled over the question of Hamas’s disarmament.

Meanwhile, several regional countries, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, condemned Israel’s rejection of the roadmap, saying in a joint statement that Israel now bears responsibility for obstructing peace efforts in Gaza.

The statement, which was signed by Jordan, Pakistan and Indonesia, also called on the Peace Board and the United States to take “immediate and concrete steps” to ensure that no party can obstruct the implementation of the agreement.

Earlier in May, Netanyahu said that the next step would be to take control of 70 percent of Gaza. He also promised to “increase pressure from all sides” on Hamas.

According to the Gaza Health Ministry, more than 1,200 Palestinians have been killed and more than 4,100 injured in Israeli attacks in Gaza since the ceasefire was agreed on October 10, 2025.