By 5 Towns Central Staff

JERUSALEM, ISRAEL (August 17, 2026)

U.S. negotiator Jared Kushner met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem as Washington intensifies efforts to revive a stalled Gaza ceasefire proposal and bridge the widening differences between Israel and Hamas.

The closed-door meeting also included former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Board of Peace Director Nickolay Mladenov. It came shortly after Kushner held lengthy talks in Cairo with senior Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya, alongside Egyptian, Qatari and Turkish mediators.

At the center of the negotiations is a U.S.-backed 15-point framework that calls for Hamas to disarm, the establishment of a Palestinian technocratic administration and the eventual deployment of international forces and reconstruction teams in Gaza.

Hamas has indicated that it is prepared to accept the framework’s disarmament provisions, while pressing for guarantees regarding Palestinian statehood. Israel, however, has made clear that Hamas must completely surrender its military capabilities before the IDF carries out any withdrawal.

Hamas has also demanded an immediate halt to Israeli strikes and a withdrawal of Israeli forces to the designated “yellow line” as a first step toward implementing the agreement. Israeli forces currently control significant portions of Gaza beyond that line.

The diplomatic impasse has drawn increasing pressure from Arab and Muslim-majority countries. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Pakistan and Indonesia issued a joint statement criticizing Israel’s rejection of the proposal and urging the Board of Peace to move forward with implementation.

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump offered a series of comments on the broader regional situation, including the ongoing tensions with Iran. Speaking to Fox News, Trump said Tehran should “put up the white flag of surrender,” while emphasizing that he was not operating under a specific timetable.

Trump also confirmed that a direct backchannel exists between the United States and Iranian officials, including representatives connected to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

“They’re good poker players, but they’re dying,” Trump said.

The president also weighed in on negotiations involving Oman and the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, issuing a blunt warning about any attempt to interfere with U.S. objectives.

Trump declined to endorse a candidate in Israel’s upcoming political contest, saying he believed it was appropriate to stay out of Israeli elections, although he left open the possibility of eventually supporting someone.

On Gaza, Trump said he believes progress is being made toward Hamas giving up its weapons and suggested that Israel should refrain from launching further strikes while negotiations continue.

“We have our own relationship with Hamas,” Trump said. “They are giving up their guns.”

The competing demands underscore the central obstacle facing the latest ceasefire effort: Hamas is seeking guarantees, including an Israeli withdrawal and a political pathway for the Palestinians, while Israel insists that disarmament must come first. U.S. officials are now attempting to find a formula that can satisfy both sides and prevent the latest diplomatic effort from collapsing.

🚨 NOW: President Trump says Israel should NOT be launching any strikes in Gaza "because Hamas has agreed to lay down their weapons"

Pray for peace! 🙏🏻

"He said the Israelis should not be striking in Gaza because he says Hamas has agreed to lay down their weapons after that… pic.twitter.com/6GNWdqQQlI

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) August 17, 2026