Jared Kushner, senior adviser and son-in-law to former U.S. President Donald Trump, marked the first anniversary of Trump’s 20-point peace plan for Gaza on Friday, highlighting progress made since the agreement was reached. Kushner pointed to several key developments, including the return of 20 living hostages to Israel in October 2025 and the repatriation of the final hostage's remains in January 2026. He also noted the establishment of the Board of Peace, the deployment of an international stabilization force, and the creation of a technocratic Palestinian administration to govern the Gaza Strip.
Kushner emphasized that humanitarian aid to Gaza has increased significantly following the implementation of a ceasefire, and highlighted Hamas’s signing of a phased disarmament framework in July. However, he acknowledged that the disarmament process remains incomplete. He described the current situation as “far from perfect” but said the progress is tangible and beneficial on a broader scale.
Looking ahead, Kushner identified several priorities for the coming year, including completing Hamas’s disarmament, establishing security, and restoring essential services alongside rebuilding communities throughout Gaza.
Despite these reported advances, recent intelligence briefings to Israel’s senior political and defense leadership suggest a more complex reality on the ground. According to officials who received the briefing, Hamas’s leadership views its ability to withstand Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) operations over the past three years as a form of victory, despite Israel controlling approximately 70% of Gaza territory. The briefing said Hamas considers Israeli territorial control “temporary” and remains committed to its vision of resistance.
A senior Israeli security official described Hamas’s perspective as rooted in the belief that the Trump peace plan, framed as a points-based economic development initiative involving tens of billions of dollars in investment, is a continuation of the vision of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin from 1999. This belief endures among Hamas members, who reportedly see their ongoing resistance—marked by attacks against the IDF and survival under difficult conditions—as a form of defiance against what they perceive as the strongest military force in the Middle East.
The briefing also indicated Hamas is preparing for a possible IDF ground operation directed at Gaza City, amid tensions between local Hamas leadership and figures such as Khalil al-Hayya, who is based in Qatar.
Separately, the IDF and the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) confirmed the killing of two militants in Gaza this week in separate airstrikes. Muhammad Abu Shalouf, a company commander in the Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s military wing who infiltrated Israel during the October 7, 2023 attacks, was killed in an airstrike on Wednesday. On Friday, Musa Atef Musa Abu Dan, a Hamas Nukhba operative, was also killed. Both individuals were reportedly planning attacks against Israeli forces and working to restore their groups’ operational capabilities.
Overall, while official statements emphasize progress under the Trump plan, ongoing security concerns and militant activity indicate persistent challenges to fully realizing the outlined goals in Gaza.