What Happened
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly rejected a 15-point US-backed roadmap for Gaza, declaring that Israel will not withdraw its military forces until Hamas is fully disarmed. Speaking to his cabinet on Sunday, 9 August 2026, Netanyahu insisted that any withdrawal must be preceded by the surrender of heavy and light weapons, a condition he termed “genuine disarmament.” This stance directly contradicts a process President Donald Trump had recently presented as a major diplomatic breakthrough, creating an immediate rift between Washington and Tel Aviv.
The disagreement centers on the sequence of obligations. The US plan envisions Israeli withdrawals occurring alongside Hamas’s disarmament, supported by an international stabilisation force. However, Netanyahu argues that withdrawing before full neutralisation of Hamas allows the group to regroup and threaten Israel again. Conversely, Hamas has stated it is prepared to transfer weapons into storage under a US-backed Palestinian administration but insists implementation depends on Israel first meeting its commitments, including halting attacks and pulling back forces.
The Timeline
The friction escalated just over a week after President Trump announced that his Board of Peace had reached a deal with the Palestinian militant group to completely give up its weapons. In late July, Trump described this as a “historic” agreement signed at Sharm el-Sheikh in October 2025, which halted major fighting and facilitated the release of hostages.
The current stalemate follows Kushner’s rare meeting with Hamas leaders in Egypt on Monday, 17 August 2026. The US envoy had visited El-Alamein the previous day to convene with mediators from Qatar, Turkey, and Egypt. An official familiar with the matter told Al Jazeera that Kushner’s objective was translating the roadmap’s obligations into concrete, verifiable steps. Despite these efforts, the core deadlock remains: Israel refuses to move without disarmament first, while Hamas refuses to disarm without Israeli withdrawal.
Who Said What
At a meeting with government ministers on Sunday, 9 August 2026, Netanyahu stated, “We are talking about genuine disarmament, not fictitious disarmament.” He clarified that this means surrendering all arms before any further Israeli withdrawal from the enclave. This comment came after Axios reported on 14 August 2026 that the White House does not want Israeli elections to stall the implementation of the next phase of the plan.
Jared Kushner, Trump’s senior adviser and son-in-law, is scheduled to visit Israel next week with Nickolay Mladenov, the Board of Peace’s high representative for Gaza. The planned trip marks Kushner’s first visit to Israel since January. Axios reported that a US official sees eye-to-eye on strategic goals but noted that Israel has expressed doubts about the plan, prompting a desire to ensure coordination before Kushner meets Netanyahu.
Hamas released a press statement on Sunday, 9 August 2026, saying it remains committed to the roadmap agreed upon in the agreement. However, the group maintains that implementing it requires Israel to first meet its own commitments. The apparent stalemate persists as Israel still controls roughly 70% of Gaza, according to Palestinian officials and aid agencies.
Why This Matters
The dispute raises a critical question regarding the durability of the Trump-Netanyahu political alliance. Only days earlier, Trump had suggested Israel was supportive of the new arrangement. Now, Netanyahu is openly saying parts of Washington’s proposal are unacceptable. The disagreement goes beyond the details of one peace plan; it tests how long the two leaders can move in different directions before their relationship fractures.
Netanyahu faces a difficult political calculus as he seeks re-election in October 2027, with polls showing his coalition is at risk of losing its majority. His decision to emphasize disarmament conditions comes less than three months before that election. Critics argue his conditions may make an agreement almost impossible to implement by demanding enforceable security guarantees rather than establishing reciprocal steps.
The context includes the ongoing humanitarian crisis, with at least 1,260 Palestinians killed in Gaza since the ceasefire took effect. The October 7 attacks remain central to Israel’s security calculations, and supporters of Netanyahu argue that withdrawing before Hamas has been neutralised as a military force would be taking an unacceptable risk.
What Happens Next
Kushner and Mladenov intend to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli officials in an effort to reach understandings on implementing the plan’s next stages over the coming months. The talks are not intended to reopen negotiations but rather to close gaps identified by US officials.
The White House is keen to avoid a scenario where Israeli elections stall the implementation of the next phase of the plan. Board of Peace officials confirmed that Kushner would lead a delegation to break the diplomatic deadlock, visiting Egypt and Israel. The outcome of these talks will determine whether the phased process envisioned by the US can proceed or if the entire peace process risks stalling due to mutual inaction.