Kushner gives Hamas stark ultimatum: Disarm or Israel gets US backing to ‘finish the job’

Jared Kushner, the U.S. special envoy and son-in-law to President Donald Trump, delivered a pointed warning to Hamas on Monday, asserting that the militant group must follow through on promises to disarm in Gaza or risk a full Israeli military offensive to "finish the job."

The ultimatum came after 48 hours of high-stakes diplomacy across the region. Kushner met first with Hamas representatives in Cairo, sitting down alongside the National Committee—the newly formed technocratic Palestinian government slated to assume governance. It marked only the second known face-to-face encounter between Kushner and the group.

During an exclusive interview with Fox News correspondent Trey Yingst, Kushner said Hamas reiterated its pledge to adhere to Trump's 20-point peace plan and a separate 15-point roadmap developed over the preceding four months, which includes binding commitments to surrender weapons.

"Time will tell whether that's going to be implemented," Kushner acknowledged. "If they don't follow through now on their commitment, everyone will see that they're not genuine about peace, and then Israel will have a lot more support from the U.S. and others to go and finish the job in the appropriate way."

The envoy described the Cairo discussions as cordial but tempered with skepticism. "They said all the right things, but obviously, it's very, very hard to trust a terrorist organization that committed these terrible atrocities," he said. "We're going to give them a chance to perform. It's going to have to be based on actions and steps."

Following the Egyptian talks, Kushner traveled to Jerusalem and Tel Aviv for a four-hour meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli officials. The U.S.-led "Board of Peace" proposal—centered on a phased ceasefire, demilitarization of Gaza, Israeli troop withdrawal, technocratic Palestinian governance, and international reconstruction—was the centerpiece of discussions.

The central disagreement remains the sequence of steps. Israel insists on complete disarmament before any troop withdrawal or reconstruction efforts begin, while Hamas maintains both processes must unfold simultaneously.

Despite the friction, Kushner emerged from the session expressing cautious optimism. "I think today we had a very, very good meeting," he said. "There were some valid concerns that they raised that we were able to address, and we were able to go through some of the misunderstandings and misinformation."

The Trump administration drew a clear line on reconstruction. "We will not allow Gaza to be rebuilt until demilitarization occurs," Kushner stated, while also affirming that Washington would not restrict Israel's right to self-defense against imminent threats.

Kushner outlined an ambitious timeline: initial progress within 30 days, with actual weapons removal beginning soon after and tunnel destruction commencing within 60 to 90 days. He framed the potential outcome as transformative for Israeli security.

"For Israel, this is a win-win situation," Kushner explained. "If Hamas actually gives over the weapons and the tunnels willingly over the next 60 to 90 days, that obviously would be the elimination of a huge security threat for Israel—an almost unthinkable achievement."

The conflict traces its roots to October 7, 2023, when Hamas carried out terrorist attacks in southern Israel, killing nearly 1,200 people and taking more than 240 hostages. The ensuing war has persisted for nearly three years, with Israel continuing air strikes and expanding territorial control in Gaza despite a nominal ceasefire reached in October.

Kushner acknowledged the deep toll on both sides. "Israel has a strong desire to live in peace. They've been through three years of war. It's been very, very hard for the country, very hard for the people. I think there's a lot of emotion in Israel and in the region."

"As I travel around the region, I do think people are tired of war. I think they're ready for something new," he continued. "But it's just sometimes hard—who's going to take the first step, and how do you build trust when there's so little trust that's now been eroded?"

Kushner placed his faith in Trump's diplomatic record. "President Trump has pulled off miracles before in the Middle East. He's very committed to continuing to do things that nobody thinks are possible."