US President Donald Trump's envoy and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, left talks with Israel on Monday with no breakthrough on the US-proposed Gaza ceasefire deal.
According to reports, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) would not withdraw from Gaza unless Hamas disarms first.
Hamas' disarmament, however, has been stalled due to its demand for Israel to partially withdraw. The demand was reiterated in Kushner's meeting with Khalil al-Hayya, the political leader of Hamas, a day before the meeting with Netanyahu.
In the rare direct meeting, the Hamas leader insisted that Israel must first withdraw its troops from the 60% of Gaza that Israel occupies, reports said.
An Israeli official, quoted by several media outlets, said Netanyahu had made it clear that for now the IDF would continue to operate in Gaza as it sees necessary.
According to a statement released from Netanyahu's office, the US and Israel have held "deep and constructive" discussions. "It was agreed to establish two working groups, one on disarmament and demilitarization of Gaza, which both Israel and the Board of Peace are determined should be prompt and completed before any reconstruction happens in Gaza," the statement said.
In a separate statement, a Board of Peace official said the meeting was "lengthy, in depth and very productive."
"We agreed with the PM on a path forward. The Israelis are going to give this a chance. Now it's up to Hamas to show if it truly intends to comply," the official noted.
In July, Trump announced that Hamas agreed to a US-backed 15-point roadmap to a peace plan in Gaza. Implementation of the roadmap, however, later entered a deadlock due to the disputed sequencing of disarmament.
