Kushner and BoP to Discuss Gaza Plan Implementation with Netanyahu

Jared Kushner, a senior adviser to US President Donald Trump, and representatives of the Peace Council (BoP) are scheduled to visit Israel next week to discuss the continuation of the US plan for Gaza with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. According to Axios, the meeting aims to address the implementation of the next phase of the plan in the coming months.

This follows Netanyahu’s rejection on Sunday of a 15-point plan for Gaza that had been approved by the BoP and accepted by Hamas. He insisted that the Palestinian group must be disarmed before any further Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

The BoP’s roadmap, issued on 31 July, stipulates that the disarmament of Hamas and the withdrawal of Israeli forces should occur simultaneously in a phased manner. A US official told Axios that Washington and Israel share the same strategic objectives, but Israel has expressed some reservations about the plan.

‘We see the same strategic goals, but Israel has stated some doubts about the plan,’ the official said. The White House is reportedly keen to ensure the next phase of the plan is not delayed by the Israeli elections.

Another US official noted that the administration understands Netanyahu’s political needs during the process, provided they do not obstruct the implementation of agreed policies. Ghazi Hamad, a Hamas official, previously told Anadolu that the agreement provides for the storage of heavy weapons under the authority of a national committee, with international oversight, as Israeli forces withdraw.

The war in Gaza, which escalated in October 2023, has resulted in the deaths of approximately 73,000 Palestinians and injuries to over 174,000, predominantly women and children. The conflict has also destroyed or damaged nearly 90 per cent of the infrastructure in the Gaza Strip.