Witkoff says Hamas agreed to disarm in meeting with Kushner before Gaza ceasefire

The United States is building a demilitarization framework that includes an amnesty process for Hamas fighters who surrender their weapons.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

The Trump administration’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, said Thursday that Hamas leaders privately told him and Jared Kushner they were willing to lay down their weapons shortly before the Gaza ceasefire took effect on October 9. Speaking at the America Business Forum in Miami, Witkoff recalled what he called the “famous meeting” between Kushner and Hamas representatives, saying the group “said it to us directly.”

He added that the United States is building a demilitarization framework that includes an amnesty process for Hamas terrorists who surrender their weapons. “If they follow through, the development plan for Gaza will be extraordinary — far better than anything proposed before,” he said, describing a future program focused on employment and reconstruction.

Despite those claims, Hamas leaders have issued conflicting statements about disarmament. In August, prior to Trump’s 20-point plan, Hamas officials insisted they would not give up their weapons unless a Palestinian state is established, while Arab diplomats have told Israeli media that the organization might agree to surrender heavy weapons but retain light arms — a stance Israel rejects outright.

Witkoff also confirmed that Washington has asked Israel to allow safe passage for roughly 200 Hamas terrorists hiding in tunnels beneath Rafah, provided they surrender their weapons to an international stabilization force. “We may soon see whether they’re prepared to raise their hands, walk out, and hand over their guns,” he said, adding that the arrangement would serve as a “test case” for Gaza’s broader demilitarization.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office has publicly opposed any deal granting safe passage but has not dismissed the idea privately, according to regional diplomats. Defense Minister Israel Katz proposed exiling the Rafah group outside Gaza, but IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir reportedly rejected that, saying the fighters “must surrender or die.”

The plan is part of President Donald Trump’s 20-point proposal to rebuild Gaza under a temporary technocratic administration once Hamas is disarmed. One element discussed in Thursday’s cabinet meeting would create a “model city” on the Israeli side of the Yellow Line to resettle vetted Palestinian civilians away from Hamas-controlled zones — a concept that has already drawn objections from several ministers concerned about security and feasibility.