Hamas leaders reaffirmed their commitment to disarm and demilitarize Gaza in a meeting with President Trump's adviser Jared Kushner in Egypt on Sunday, according to a source with direct knowledge, Axios reports.
Kushner used the rare direct meeting to press Hamas for tangible steps on disarmament, warning that Israel doesn't trust the group to follow through.
The source described the 90-minute meeting as "very productive" at making sure Hamas takes practical steps to fulfill its commitments.
The White House and Trump's Board of Peace are pushing Hamas and Israel to move to the next phase of the U.S. 20-point peace plan.
Kushner is expected to visit Israel on Monday and meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss "corresponding steps" Israel must take, the source said.
Hamas leaders asked Kushner to tell Trump they remained committed to disarming, the source said.
"We thanked them for the commitment, but we want to see real efforts and not just words," the source added. "It was important for Kushner to lock them into this commitment in person."
Kushner also thanked Hamas leaders for their cooperation and efforts to recover the bodies of all deceased Israeli hostages.
Hamas leaders thanked the Trump administration and the Board of Peace for their efforts to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
Board of Peace high representative Nickolay Mladenov and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who is also a member of the board, and Board of Peace senior advisers Aryeh Lightstone and Liran Tancman joined Kushner in the meeting.
Hamas political leader Khalil al-Hayya attended alongside Egyptian intelligence chief Hassan Rashad, Qatari diplomat Ali al-Thawadi and a senior Turkish official.
It was Kushner's first meeting with Hamas leaders since the Gaza agreement was reached last October.
Kushner told Hamas leaders they need to take tangible steps on disarmament if they want Israel to take steps of its own, the source said. Those steps include transferring governing authority to the Palestinian technocratic government and ensuring Hamas has no role in Gaza's future governance.
"Kushner stressed to Hamas leaders that the bar is high because the Israeli side doesn't trust them to actually disarm," the source said. "Kushner told them there is no room for negotiations on the disarmament, but if they show real steps the U.S. will do its best to make sure Israel takes steps of its own."
The board also wants Israel to conduct "corresponding steps" in Gaza if Hamas starts disarming and to accelerate humanitarian relief to the enclave.
"There can be no ambiguity: Hamas must relinquish governing authority and all weapons and military infrastructure. And Gaza can never again be a source of terror for Israel," the source said.
Hamas leaders expressed frustration about Israeli policy in Gaza, including continued strikes, the source said.
"Kushner pushed back and said that it took them four months to agree to disarm," the source said.
Hamas leaders also said they are ready to hand over governance in Gaza to the Palestinian technocratic government and not interfere once it begins operating in the enclave.
What they're saying: Hamas said after the meeting that it had agreed to the roadmap for the second phase of Trump's plan, citing a permanent ceasefire, a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, sustained humanitarian relief and the beginning of reconstruction efforts.
Hamas accused Israel of failing to implement the first phase of the ceasefire agreement and called on the mediators and the Board of Peace to press Israel to meet its obligations.
The group also praised Trump's role in reaching the ceasefire agreement.
The statement did not explicitly mention disarmament.
