Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. special envoy Jared Kushner failed to reach agreement during their Monday meeting over Israel’s continued strikes against Hamas terrorists who participated in the October 7 massacre, even as U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee publicly pushed back on reports of a broader confrontation between the two sides.

According to officials familiar with the meeting, Netanyahu insisted that Israel would continue targeting October 7 terrorists, while Kushner said Washington would not object to strikes against terrorists who pose a genuine “imminent threat” but warned against interpreting that standard too broadly. Netanyahu reportedly refused to back away from the policy, and no agreement was reached on the issue.

The dispute comes as the U.S.-controlled Board of Peace attempts to advance a Hamas disarmament plan that would require both sides to halt military operations once the process begins. Kushner has said he wants Hamas to begin handing over its weapons within a month, but another disagreement emerged over Netanyahu’s refusal to allow recruits for a new Palestinian police force to leave Gaza for training in Egypt. The Board’s framework envisions those police eventually receiving Hamas’s weapons with assistance from the International Stabilization Force.

Huckabee, however, denied that the meeting amounted to a major clash, saying he was present for the discussions and that both sides remain committed to moving the broader Gaza plan forward. He stressed that the U.S. does not expect Israel to withdraw from positions in Gaza while Hamas remains armed, and said Washington recognizes Israel’s right to defend itself against imminent threats.

Despite Huckabee’s public comments, sources familiar with the talks acknowledged that significant issues remain unresolved. One source said the Board of Peace is now considering a revised framework that could link a complete Hamas disarmament with a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, though no final agreement has been reached.

The disagreement was underscored hours after Kushner left Israel, when the IDF carried out a major strike against what it said was a gathering of senior Hamas terrorists. Netanyahu has maintained that Israel will not withdraw from Gaza until Hamas is fully disarmed, while the U.S.-backed framework has envisioned a phased withdrawal as the terror group gives up its weapons.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)