US Gaza peace plan — Jared Kushner, envoy and son-in-law to US President Donald Trump, left Israel on Monday after talks failed to deliver progress on the American proposal for a Gaza ceasefire. The discussions, held in August 2026, centered on a US-backed plan intended to end the ongoing conflict in Gaza, but key disagreements between Israel and Hamas remain unresolved.

According to reports, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Kushner that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) would not withdraw from Gaza unless Hamas first disarms. However, Hamas has refused to disarm without a partial Israeli withdrawal, a position reiterated by Khalil al-Hayya, a senior Hamas political leader, during a rare direct meeting with Kushner the previous day. Al-Hayya reportedly insisted that Israel must withdraw its troops from the 60% of Gaza currently under Israeli occupation before any further steps can be taken.

An Israeli official, cited by several media outlets, said Netanyahu made clear that the IDF would continue its operations in Gaza as deemed necessary. Despite the lack of a breakthrough, Netanyahu’s office described the talks with the US as “deep and constructive,” announcing the creation of two working groups focused on the disarmament and demilitarization of Gaza. Both Israel and the Board of Peace, an entity involved in the negotiations, reportedly agreed that these steps should be completed before any reconstruction efforts in Gaza begin.

A Board of Peace official described the meeting as “lengthy, in depth and very productive,” adding that a path forward had been agreed with Netanyahu. The official stated, “The Israelis are going to give this a chance. Now it’s up to Hamas to show if it truly intends to comply.”

In July 2026, President Trump announced that Hamas had agreed to a US-backed 15-point roadmap, but the implementation of the plan remains stalled amid ongoing disputes over security and territorial control. Meanwhile, large sections of Gaza City have been devastated, with residential areas reduced to rubble and widespread damage to buildings reported as of August 17, 2026.