Hamas has indicated a conditional willingness to proceed to the second phase of the US-backed peace roadmap — dismantling its military infrastructure — provided Israel halts all attacks on the Gaza Strip. The development emerged from high-level talks in Egypt led by Jared Kushner, son-in-law of the American president, amid a fresh wave of IDF bombardments that threaten to derail the fragile truce.
High-stakes diplomacy in Cairo
Jared Kushner convened with Hamas leadership for the first time since the signing of the October 2026 peace agreement. The Egyptian-mediated summit drew a notably high-profile roster of international brokers, including UN Special Coordinator Nikolay Mladenov, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, and Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff.
Hamas was represented by its political chief, Khalil al-Hayya, alongside Egypt’s intelligence director, a senior Qatari diplomat, and a Turkish official. Mediators are pressing for the commencement of weapons disposal and the dismantling of Hamas’s military infrastructure within Gaza. In exchange, Israel would be expected to accelerate humanitarian deliveries to the enclave.
Once this initial phase is operational, discussions could advance to the deployment of an international stabilisation force, the reconstruction of Rafah, and the full withdrawal of Israeli troops from the territory.
A demand for reciprocity
Hamas has made its compliance contingent upon a public declaration from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirming Israel’s readiness to honour all provisions of the agreement. Representatives of the Palestinian faction have formally appealed to the Peace Council to “compel” Israel to abide by its commitments.
According to the Arabic news outlet Al-Hadath, Hamas leaders are insisting on a precise timetable for implementation, while underscoring the central role played by President Trump in drafting the roadmap.
Israel, however, has expressed frustration with Washington’s demand to cease targeted killings of Hamas operatives in Gaza, arguing that such a moratorium would afford Palestinian militants time to regroup. Netanyahu has previously described the latest iteration of Trump’s ceasefire plan as “unacceptable.”
A deadlock over sequencing
The core provisions of the plan call for the phased disarmament of militant factions, coupled with a complete Israeli military withdrawal. Governance of Gaza would be transferred to a National Committee composed of Palestinian technocrats, with no interference permitted from any Hamas faction. A critical element involves the transfer of weapons stockpiles to this committee’s control.
Yet the parties remain at an impasse over the order of operations. Israel insists that Palestinian disarmament must precede any troop redeployment, while Hamas maintains that Israeli forces must first vacate the territory and fulfil their humanitarian obligations before any weapons are surrendered.
Following the Egyptian negotiations, Kushner is scheduled to travel for a meeting with Netanyahu, colloquially known as “Bibi.”
Minister’s incendiary remarks spark outrage
As diplomatic efforts continue, Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has provoked widespread condemnation after advocating for the daily killing of dozens of Palestinians in Gaza.
Speaking on a podcast hosted by Rom Braslavski, a former Hamas hostage, Ben-Gvir asserted that Israeli forces should “kill 30 or 40” people in Gaza every night, extending beyond “those who pose a danger… at this particular moment.”
“There are people there who are unworthy of life. They have no place in society. They are not even human,” the Israeli minister declared.
Ben-Gvir expressed opposition to Netanyahu’s decision to scale back strikes on the enclave and pledged to push for Braslavski’s involvement in the execution of Palestinian prisoners under newly proposed legislation. The minister, whose political standing has strengthened ahead of October’s elections, also called for Palestinians to be incentivised to permanently leave Gaza, asserting that “all of Gaza is ours” and advocating for a new Israeli settlement in the territory.
Braslavski had been working as a security guard at a music festival during the Hamas attack of October 2023. He was abducted and subsequently released in autumn 2025.
