U.S. envoy Jared Kushner and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have agreed to establish two working groups on Gaza, but their talks produced no firm Israeli commitment to a U.S.-backed road map for advancing the ceasefire.
Netanyahu’s office described the discussions with officials from President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace as “deep and constructive.”
It said one group would focus on the disarmament of Hamas and the demilitarization of Gaza, while the other would address sanitation, clean water and other public health needs.
Israel and the board agreed that demilitarization should be completed promptly and before reconstruction begins, according to the statement.
However, no agreement was announced on the withdrawal of Israeli forces.
Israeli media reported that Netanyahu insisted Israel would continue operations against what it considers threats and that reconstruction would not begin until Hamas was fully disarmed.
Asked whether Israel had committed to the wider road map, a spokesperson for Board of Peace High Representative for Gaza Nickolay Mladenov said it remained “a work in progress.”
Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Mladenov joined Kushner at the talks.
The first phase of the Gaza ceasefire took effect on Oct. 10, 2025.
Mladenov has said Hamas accepted a 15-point road map for implementing the second phase, while Netanyahu rejected the proposal.
Kushner met Hamas political chief Khalil al-Hayya in Cairo on Aug. 16 before traveling to Israel.
Hamas said implementation should begin only after Israel halted its attacks and started withdrawing its forces.
