Hamas welcomes Arab-Islamic statement, calls on Israel to abide by Roadmap

In the United States on 17 August 2026, Jared Kushner met Hamas leaders in Egypt to push Trump's Gaza plan. Hamas welcomed an Arab-Islamic statement and called on Israel to abide by the Roadmap. Kushner said Hamas could disarm within 30 days, and Fox News reported he told Hamas to disarm or Israel would get US backing to 'finish the job'. A US general is to oversee the transfer of Hamas weapons to a Gaza government and an international stabilization force under an Israel-US deal.

Bezalel Smotrich said the US and Board of Peace Gaza plan was 'incompatible' with Israel's goals, and Netanyahu insisted on Hamas disarming before Israeli troops withdraw. Palestinian Authority officials accused the US of pushing Abbas aside after the Cairo meeting. Kushner also said US-Iran conversations were robust but there was no understanding yet, and Turkey's Erdogan urged Trump to continue talks with Iran.