US general to oversee Hamas disarmament

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US envoy Jared Kushner agreed on Monday that an American general would oversee the disarmament of Hamas in Gaza, according to an Israeli official. The agreement stipulates that no Israeli redeployment or reconstruction in Gaza will occur until Hamas is disarmed throughout the territory. The first step would require Hamas to hand over its weapons for decommissioning under the supervision of an American general, likely within the International Stabilization Force led by US Major General Jasper Jeffers. This understanding follows Netanyahu's public rejection of an earlier Board of Peace proposal, and comes as he faces a tough re-election fight ahead of October 27 elections. Kushner met with Netanyahu in Jerusalem after holding rare direct talks with Hamas in Egypt, where Hamas reiterated its commitment to the plan and called for pressure on Netanyahu. The agreement aims to satisfy Israeli concerns while advancing the US-led peace plan, though skepticism remains in Israel. Meanwhile, far-right minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called for nightly mass killings in Gaza, and eight Muslim-majority countries, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the UAE, condemned Israel's rejection of the plan. Israeli operations have killed at least 1,265 Palestinians since the ceasefire, according to Gaza's health ministry.