Diplomacy & Geopolitics
Gaza deal: Hamas says it remains committed
Hamas said Tuesday it remained committed to a United States-backed Gaza peace deal, but said Israel had not yet clearly approved the roadmap after White House envoy Jared Kushner met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about steps towards the group's disarmament.
“Hamas is committed to this agreed-upon process,” Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said. “It is clear that, so far, the Israeli side has not given the mediators clear approval of the roadmap.”
Qassem said timelines and procedural steps still needed to be worked out in detail, but that Israeli approval of the roadmap had to come first.
Kushner, President Donald Trump's son-in-law, held a rare meeting with Hamas on Sunday in Egypt before meeting Netanyahu the following day in Jerusalem. Netanyahu has publicly rejected the latest phase of the deal and has demanded that Hamas fully disarm.
In a Fox News interview after the talks, Kushner said Hamas disarmament could begin in about 30 days and that reconstruction of Gaza would not begin until that happens. He also said the United States was “not going to restrict Israel's right to defend itself if there are any imminent threats” in Gaza.
An Israeli official said Netanyahu and Kushner agreed that a US general would oversee the surrender of weapons. Trump's “Board of Peace”, which is implementing the deal, has also told Netanyahu that Israel does not need to start withdrawing from Gaza until full disarmament, reversing an earlier call for a phased Israeli pullout to begin.
Israel has continued airstrikes in Gaza despite the peace push. The Israeli military said Tuesday that a strike two days earlier killed a commander of Islamic Jihad who it said was responsible for abducting an Israeli during the October 7, 2023 attack that triggered the war.
Gaza's health ministry, which operates under Hamas authority, said Israeli operations have killed at least 1,265 Palestinians since a ceasefire came into effect on October 10. The United Nations considers the ministry's figures reliable. The Israeli army has reported five deaths in its ranks from Gaza operations over the same period.
Update
Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said timelines and procedural steps still need to be worked out, but Israeli approval of the roadmap must come first.
Kushner said reconstruction of Gaza would not begin until Hamas disarmament starts.
Kushner said the United States would not restrict Israel's right to defend itself against imminent threats in Gaza.
An Israeli official said Netanyahu and Kushner agreed that a US general would oversee the surrender of weapons.
Trump's Board of Peace told Netanyahu that Israel does not need to start withdrawing from Gaza until full disarmament.
The Israeli military said a strike two days earlier killed an Islamic Jihad commander it said was responsible for abducting an Israeli on October 7, 2023.
Gaza's health ministry said Israeli operations have killed at least 1,265 Palestinians since an October 10 ceasefire came into effect; the Israeli army reported five deaths in its ranks from Gaza operations over the same period.
Source note: AFP news report published on 18 August 2026 at 09:26:41 UTC.
Update
Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said Hamas remains committed to the agreed process.
Qassem said Israel had not, so far, given mediators clear approval of the roadmap.
Source note: AFP news report published on 18 August 2026 at 08:42:54 UTC.
Update
Jared Kushner said filling Hamas-built Gaza tunnels could happen in the next 60 to 90 days.
Kushner said he had met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for nearly four hours and sought to reassure him on Israeli concerns.
Kushner said progress depended on cooperation from both sides.
Source note: AFP news report published on 17 August 2026 at 20:19:35 UTC.
Update
A Trump envoy predicted progress on Hamas disarmament in about 30 days.
Source note: AFP news report published on 17 August 2026 at 19:44:16 UTC.
Update
An official with Trump's Board of Peace said every collected weapon would be fully decommissioned so it could not be used again.
The Board of Peace official said Israel retained its full right of self-defence if Hamas resorted to terror, violence or attempts to rearm.
The source identifies US Major General Jasper Jeffers as leading the International Stabilization Force referenced in the disarmament roadmap.
President Isaac Herzog praised the Board of Peace's efforts during a meeting with Jared Kushner.
Source note: AFP news report published on 17 August 2026 at 17:18:48 UTC.
Update
A senior Israeli official told AFP that no reconstruction in Gaza would take place before Hamas is disarmed throughout the territory.
Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir called in a podcast for nightly targeted killings in Gaza, including killing 30 or 40 people.
Gaza's health ministry said Israeli operations have killed at least 1,265 Palestinians since the October 10 ceasefire came into effect, while the Israeli army reported five deaths in its ranks over the same period.
Source note: AFP news report published on 17 August 2026 at 15:44:03 UTC.
Update
An Israeli official said Netanyahu and Jared Kushner agreed that a US general should supervise Hamas handing over weapons for decommissioning.
The item notes there was no immediate US confirmation of the agreement.
Source note: AFP news report published on 17 August 2026 at 14:58:45 UTC.
Update
An Israeli official said Netanyahu told Kushner there would be no Israeli pullout in Gaza without Hamas disarmament.
Source note: AFP news report published on 17 August 2026 at 14:45:12 UTC.
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An Israeli official said Netanyahu asked for a US general to supervise Hamas's surrender of arms.
Source note: AFP news report published on 17 August 2026 at 14:45:31 UTC.
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A diplomatic official told AFP that Jared Kushner's meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem had begun late Monday morning.
Gaza's health ministry said Israeli operations have killed at least 1,265 Palestinians since the October 10 ceasefire took effect, up from the previously supplied 1,262 figure.
Israeli media reported that former UK prime minister Tony Blair would also attend the meeting.
Source note: AFP news report published on 17 August 2026 at 10:26:27 UTC.
Update
Kushner is expected to meet Netanyahu behind closed doors on Monday with Nickolay Mladenov also involved.
People with knowledge of the talks said Kushner demanded that Hamas verify it is giving up weapons and renounce any future role in governing Gaza.
A Hamas official told AFP the group remained committed to the plan and wanted the US administration to pressure Netanyahu's government to implement the roadmap.
Itamar Ben Gvir called in a podcast for nightly targeted killings in Gaza.
Source note: AFP news report published on 17 August 2026 at 08:52:17 UTC.
Update
Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya's participation in the Egypt talks was described as his first trip since assuming Hamas leadership in July.
Nickolay Mladenov was reported to have assured Benjamin Netanyahu that Israel would not need to withdraw troops from Gaza until Hamas fully disarmed, while Netanyahu still opposed the plan.
Gaza's civil defence agency said several people were wounded west of Khan Yunis and that the body of a child killed by Israeli fire on Saturday was recovered.
Source note: AFP news report published on 16 August 2026 at 20:02:50 UTC.
Update
Hamas said it asked the Board of Peace to "force" Israel to accept the Gaza plan.
Source note: AFP news report published on 16 August 2026 at 19:13:52 UTC.
Update
Sources with knowledge of the talks told AFP that Jared Kushner met Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya in Egypt on Sunday.
Kushner called for concrete, verifiable disarmament steps and relayed a message that Gaza could never again be a source of terror for Israel, according to one source.
Hamas again voiced commitment to the agreement during the talks, according to another source with knowledge of the discussions.
Al-Hayya's participation was described as his first trip since assuming Hamas leadership in July.
Qatar and Turkey joined the talks alongside Egypt, and Tony Blair was shown at the table as a member of Trump's Board of Peace.
Kushner is expected to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday.
Eight Muslim-majority countries condemned Israel's rejection of the plan in a joint statement.
Source note: AFP news report published on 16 August 2026 at 17:44:58 UTC.
Update
Sources with knowledge of the talks told AFP that Jared Kushner pushed for strong disarmament and an end to any future Hamas role in running Gaza during the meeting.
The sources said Hamas reiterated its commitment to the deal in the meeting.
Source note: AFP news report published on 16 August 2026 at 17:02:02 UTC.
Update
AFP reported, citing sources, that US envoy Jared Kushner met Hamas leaders in Egypt.
Source note: AFP news report published on 16 August 2026 at 16:54:56 UTC.
Update
A Hamas source said US envoy Jared Kushner was expected to meet Hamas leaders in Egypt before travelling to Israel for talks with Benjamin Netanyahu.
A second Hamas source said the United States sought clarifications from Hamas on weapons collection, consolidation and storage, and on Hamas relinquishing governance of Gaza.
There was no immediate US confirmation of a Kushner meeting with Hamas.
Gaza civil defence officials reported injuries from Israeli strikes and gunfire on Sunday, while the Israeli military said it targeted Islamic Jihad militants.
Gaza's health ministry said Israeli operations had killed at least 1,262 Palestinians since the October 10 ceasefire; the Israeli army reported five deaths in its ranks over the same period.
Source note: AFP news report published on 16 August 2026 at 15:05:23 UTC.
Update
Hamas sources told AFP that Jared Kushner will meet Hamas leadership in Egypt.
One Hamas source said Egyptian and Qatari officials would attend the meeting.
The same Hamas source said the meeting would take place before Kushner travels to Israel to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Source note: AFP news report published on 16 August 2026 at 14:10:45 UTC.
Update
Hamas chief Khalil El-Hayya met Egyptian intelligence chief Hassan Rashad in El-Alamein hours before Jared Kushner met Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.
The Hamas delegation reaffirmed commitment to completing US President Donald Trump's Gaza plan.
Kushner and El-Hayya were both in El-Alamein for separate talks on implementation of the post-war Gaza plan.
Source note: AFP news report published on 16 August 2026 at 13:59:02 UTC.
Update
Kushner and Sisi met in the Mediterranean city of El-Alamein.
Egyptian presidential spokesperson Mohamed El-Shennawy said the meeting emphasised the need for all parties to fulfil obligations under the Gaza ceasefire agreement.
The source identifies Kushner as Trump's envoy and son-in-law.
Source note: AFP news report published on 16 August 2026 at 13:17:28 UTC.
Update
Egypt's presidency said Jared Kushner discussed Gaza with Egypt's Sisi.
Source note: AFP news report published on 16 August 2026 at 13:11:01 UTC.
Update
Hamas political bureau member Bassem Naim said Hamas was abiding by the deal and called for US and mediator pressure on Benjamin Netanyahu.
Israel carried out deadly airstrikes in Gaza on Wednesday and Thursday after a lull of more than a week.
Gaza's health ministry said Israeli operations have killed 1,259 Palestinians since the October 2025 ceasefire declaration.
The source adds local concern from a displaced Gaza resident and notes Israeli elections scheduled for October 27.
Source note: AFP news report published on 14 August 2026 at 19:49:42 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
The detailed timeline and procedures for Hamas disarmament remain unresolved.
Israeli approval of the roadmap remains disputed by Hamas.
The Israeli military's claim about the Islamic Jihad commander's role in the October 7, 2023 abduction is not independently established in the supplied material.
Source
AFP news report published on .