Kushner Says Hamas Must Disarm Before Gaza Can Be Rebuilt

US special envoy Jared Kushner has said the United States will not support the reconstruction of Gaza until Hamas agrees to fully disarm.

Speaking to Fox News after meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Kushner said Washington has a plan to rebuild the war-torn territory but believes reconstruction cannot begin while Hamas remains armed.

“We have a plan to rebuild Gaza, but we will not allow Gaza to be rebuilt until the demilitarisation occurs,” Kushner said.

His remarks came as the Trump administration pushes for a US-backed roadmap aimed at ending the conflict. Under the proposed arrangement, Hamas would surrender its weapons and tunnels, while Israel would withdraw from Gaza and attacks would end.

However, Israel has rejected the proposal, insisting that Gaza must first be fully demilitarised.

Kushner also said the US would not restrict Israel’s right to defend itself against what it considers imminent threats.

He described a possible agreement as beneficial to Israel, saying Hamas could hand over its weapons and tunnels within 60 to 90 days. He warned that failure to do so could strengthen US and international support for further Israeli military action.

Kushner recently held a rare meeting with Hamas officials as Washington seeks to advance efforts to end the conflict. He described the discussions as cordial but said the US would judge Hamas by its actions rather than its promises.

The comments came despite US President Donald Trump earlier calling for an end to Israeli strikes in Gaza, saying Hamas had agreed to lay down its weapons.

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