Disagreement Over Hamas Disarmament and Israeli Withdrawal as Trump’s Son-in-Law Steps In to Mediate

[Financial News] Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s special envoy and eldest son-in-law, will visit Israel next week to discuss a peace plan for the Gaza Strip. The trip is aimed at bridging differences between the United States and Israel over how Hamas should be disarmed and how Israeli forces should withdraw.
According to Axios on the 13th local time, Kushner is expected to travel to Israel with Nickolay Mladenov, the senior representative of the Gaza Peace Committee, and meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and senior officials. It will be Kushner’s first visit to Israel since January.
Kushner’s delegation may also visit other Middle Eastern countries before or after the Israel trip to meet with regional leaders. The exact schedule has not yet been finalized.
The visit comes as Trump’s peace committee pushes ahead with plans to disarm Hamas and withdraw Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip.
On July 30, Trump announced that the peace committee and Hamas had agreed on Hamas’ disarmament and the withdrawal of Israeli forces. However, Netanyahu signaled a different stance from Washington, saying Israel would not pull out of the Gaza Strip until Hamas is fully disarmed.
Axios reported that Netanyahu is showing considerable skepticism about the U.S. Gaza plan. The issue is also seen as a major political flashpoint ahead of Israel’s October general election.
The U.S. government also says further coordination with Israel is needed. One U.S. official said, "The United States and Israel agree on the strategic goals, but Israel has some doubts about the specific plan," adding, "We are talking to make sure the two sides are properly aligned."
Netanyahu has reportedly promised the U.S. side that Israel will refrain from attacks on the Gaza Strip so that the process of Hamas disarmament can begin.
A senior U.S. official said there would be no problem as long as Netanyahu continues to carry out Washington’s requests, especially the restraint on attacks in the Gaza Strip.
Rather than rushing to implement the mediation plan, the United States intends to gradually create the conditions needed for Hamas disarmament and an Israeli withdrawal. Another U.S. official told Axios, "We are not going to rush," and added, "What matters is making sure the agreed steps in the Gaza Strip are properly carried out."

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