PM Trump envoy Kushner & Netanyahu discuss trapped Hamas terrorists & future of Gaza ceasefire

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Jared Kushner, special envoy and son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump, on Monday.

The two discussed the roughly 200 Hamas terrorists stranded on the Israeli side of the ceasefire line in Gaza, as well as the overall future of the ceasefire, Israeli Spokeswoman Shosh Bedrosian said in a briefing.

Hamas’ holding of the bodies of three Israeli hostages, and its refusal to lay down its arms and allow the Gaza Strip to be demilitarized, were also topics of discussion, Bedrosian confirmed.

According to The Jerusalem Post, Kushner, who arrived on Sunday evening, and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, who is set to join the talks, will discuss the next phase of the U.S.-brokered Gaza Peace Plan, now that Hamas has released nearly all the bodies of the hostages.

Israel is under pressure from the United States, but also other nations like Turkey, to allow the 200 trapped terrorists to surrender and either cross the ceasefire lines or travel to another country.

Bedrosian said, “Any decision regarding the 200 terrorists trapped in Rafah will be made in coordination with the Trump administration.”

Following a Knesset discussion on Monday, Netanyahu told reporters that “their fate will be such that it will serve the State of Israel.”

The issue drew renewed attention following the return of IDF soldier Hadar Goldin’s body, which the United States has reportedly sought to link to the fate of the 200 terrorists – arguing Israel could allow their surrender in exchange for Goldin.

Israel has reportedly maintained that the return of Goldin’s body was already included in the original ceasefire terms.

An Israeli official told The Jerusalem Post, “Outwardly, everyone declares that Israel will not allow those 100–200 terrorists to leave the tunnels, even if they lay down their arms.”

“But behind closed doors, everyone admits: if there is significant American pressure on this issue, Israel will have no choice but to compromise.”

Another senior official told Ynet News, “In light of the pressure, it’s hard to believe we’ll destroy them. There is great pressure from the U.S., and the assessment is that this will be resolved in some sort of agreement.”

The first phase of the ceasefire went into effect on Oct. 10. The next phase envisions the creation of a new administrative body for Gaza, as well as the deployment of the International Stabilization Force (ISF).

However, the force still lacks a clear UN mandate, and it remains uncertain which countries would be willing to deploy troops into a potentially dangerous situation in Gaza.

On Monday, a senior advisor to the president of the United Arab Emirates, Anwar Gargash, said his country would “probably” not join the force.

“The UAE does not yet see a clear framework for the stability force, and under such circumstances will probably not participate in such a force,” he said.