Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told President Trump's envoy Jared Kushner on August 17 that Israel will not withdraw forces from Gaza until Hamas has been fully disarmed, directly rejecting the sequencing laid out in the Trump administration's roadmap for peace.

The rebuff came a day after Kushner held a rare two-hour meeting with Hamas political chief Khalil al-Hayya in Egypt, where the Palestinian militant group publicly committed to the disarmament plan and won praise from Trump. But Netanyahu's insistence on reversing the order of implementation—demanding Hamas disarm before Israeli troops pull back—threatens to collapse the fragile diplomatic effort.

The standoff underscores the depth of mistrust between Israel and Hamas, even as both sides claim to support the Trump-backed Board of Peace plan unveiled last month. Netanyahu's position reflects domestic political pressure from his right-wing coalition, which has vowed to block any withdrawal from Gaza that leaves Hamas intact. Israeli forces currently control roughly 60 percent of the territory.

Kushner Urges 'Small Steps' to Test Hamas Commitment

Kushner, who has long family ties to Netanyahu, urged the Israeli leader Monday to take incremental measures to test whether Hamas' disarmament pledge is genuine, according to a U.S. official who spoke to Axios. The proposal includes allowing a U.S. general to oversee the initial stages of weapons collection, with Israeli forces maintaining positions in strategic corridors.

Hamas has said it is willing to begin handing over rockets and mortars to Egyptian mediators as a confidence-building measure, but insists that full disarmament can only occur after Israeli troops withdraw and a political transition begins. The group's leaders told Kushner in Cairo that they view simultaneous implementation of both steps as the only path to lasting peace.

Trump insisted Monday that his relationship with Netanyahu remains "very good" despite the impasse, but frustration is growing within the administration. The president has invested significant political capital in the Board of Peace initiative, which he described as a historic breakthrough when Hamas agreed to participate last month.

Netanyahu Faces Domestic Pressure to Resist Withdrawal

Netanyahu's rejection of the U.S. plan reflects the reality of Israeli public opinion, which polling shows overwhelmingly opposes withdrawing from Gaza before Hamas is dismantled. The prime minister is competing against political challengers who have called the Board of Peace proposal a "surrender" and vowed to block implementation in the Knesset.

Critics of Netanyahu's stance, including International Crisis Group analysts, say the prime minister's maximalist demands ensure the ceasefire remains stalled indefinitely. The group released a report this week calling the roadmap's sequencing "the only viable compromise," warning that continued military occupation of Gaza will fuel a new generation of militancy.

Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey—the three mediating countries—participated in Kushner's talks with Hamas and urged both sides to accept phased implementation. Egyptian officials warned that the collapse of the peace plan could trigger a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, where infrastructure has been devastated by months of fighting.

Board of Peace Stands by Roadmap Despite Israeli Objections

The Board of Peace, a Trump-backed organization that brokered the initial agreement with Hamas, released a statement this week defending its 15-point roadmap and urging Israel to "engage constructively" with the process. The board argued that demanding full Hamas disarmament before any Israeli withdrawal is "inconsistent with the principles of mutual confidence-building that peace requires."

Kushner spent three days in the region this week, meeting separately with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Qatari officials before his talks with Hamas and Netanyahu. U.S. officials characterized his meetings with Netanyahu as "constructive" but acknowledged no breakthrough was achieved.

The Gaza ceasefire has been stalled for ten months, with both sides accusing the other of violating its terms. Hamas points to continued Israeli military operations in northern Gaza, while Israel says Hamas has failed to release all hostages or provide a full accounting of its weapons stockpiles. The Board of Peace roadmap was intended to resolve these disputes through sequenced implementation, but Netanyahu's rejection leaves the diplomatic effort in limbo.

As Kushner prepares to return to Washington, regional officials say the next step depends on whether Trump is willing to pressure Netanyahu more directly. Some analysts believe the administration has been reluctant to confront Israel ahead of the November midterms, fearing a backlash from pro-Israel voters in swing states.