Kushner marks one year of Trump's Gaza peace plan, cites progress and challenges ahead

Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump's son-in-law and adviser, marked one year since an agreement was reached on Trump's 20-point plan for Gaza on Friday, saying significant progress had been made in implementing the agreement over the past year.Kushner highlighted several milestones, including the return of the 20 living hostages to Israel in October 2025, the return of the remains of the final hostage in January 2026, the establishment of the Board of Peace and an international stabilization force, and the formation of a technocratic Palestinian administration to govern the Gaza Strip.According to Kushner, humanitarian aid to Gaza has increased significantly since the ceasefire took effect. He also noted that Hamas signed a phased disarmament framework in July, though he acknowledged the process has yet to be fully implemented.Kushner: Progress is real, but challenges remain"The situation is far from perfect, but the progress is real, and the world is better off because of it," Kushner wrote.Looking ahead, Kushner said the coming year would require completing the disarmament process, establishing security, restoring essential services, and rebuilding communities throughout the Gaza Strip.Kushner also thanked Trump, Steve Witkoff, the vice president, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and several regional partners, including Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Israel, for their roles in advancing the agreement.One year ago today, on October 9, 2025, we reached an agreement on President Trump's 20-point peace plan for Gaza many believed impossible. After two years of devastating war, the agreement created a path to reunite hostage families with their loved ones, bring security to Israel, relieve the suffering of the Palestinian people in Gaza, and build a different future for the region. One year later, it's remarkable how much has changed. The situation is far from perfect, but the progress is real, and the world is better for it. A look at the past year: ✅October 9, 2025: Hamas accepts President Trump's 20-point peace plan, launching a ceasefire that has largely endured for a year. ✅October 12, 2025: Israeli forces complete first withdrawal to the agreed yellow line. ✅October 13, 2025: All 20 living Israeli hostages return home. Something many believed would never happen. ✅November 17, 2025: UN Security Council passes Resolution 2803, endorsing the peace plan and authorizing an international stabilization framework and the Board of Peace. ✅January 5, 2026: UN reports 100% of basic food needs being met in Gaza for the first time since 2023. ✅January 17, 2026: National Committee for the Administration of Gaza established, creating a Palestinian technocratic administration focused on restoring essential services and rebuilding Gaza. ✅January 26, 2026: Remains of the final deceased hostage returned. For the first time since 2014, no Israeli hostages, living or deceased, in Gaza. ✅February 19, 2026: The Board of Peace holds its inaugural meeting, hosted by Chairman President Trump. Landmark partnership with FIFA announced, including a $50 million commitment toward a football stadium, academy, and facilities for Gaza's children, and billions of dollars in commitments for the people of Gaza. ✅May 2, 2026: UN reports that humanitarian aid entering Gaza had increased by 72% compared with before the ceasefire. ✅July 31, 2026: Hamas signs an actionable, step-by-step framework for decommissioning its weapons, developed with the support of Nickolay Mladenov and mediators from Egypt, Turkey, Qatar, and the United States. Implementation remains a critical next step. ✅2026: Five nations commit forces toward the International Stabilization Force, with several more working on logistics for deployment this fall. ✅September 23, 2026: Board of Peace hosts an open meeting on the sidelines of UNGA releasing the next steps in the Gaza recovery plan. A year ago, so much of this seemed impossible. First, many doubted we could reach an agreement. Then came the harder question of whether the parties would honor their commitments. Over the past year, we have seen what can be achieved when people with profound differences find ways to work together toward a common objective. Steve Witkoff @SEPeaceMissions and I are grateful to @POTUS Trump for his leadership, @VP, @SecRubio, the Board of Peace team, led by @TB, @nmladenov, @lightstonea, @AliShaathNCAG, Gen. Jasper Jeffers, Liran Tanchman, Yakir Gabay, Josh Greunbaum, Josh Halpern and many others, and our partners in Egypt, the UAE, Qatar, Turkey, Bahrain, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Morocco and Israel. Special thanks to Sheikh Mohammed, Ali Al-Thwadi, Hakan Fidan, General Hasan, Bader Abdulhamdi, @mikeeisenberg, and @AmbDermer. I'm also grateful to the many talented people who have volunteered their time and energy because they believe that the horrors of October 7 and the suffering in Gaza must never happen again. There is still hard work ahead. Disarmament must be implemented, security established, essential services restored, and communities rebuilt. None of this will be easy. But we have a thoughtful plan, committed partners, and a path forward that did not exist a year ago. It's worth recognizing how far we've come, even as we acknowledge how much remains to be done. Hopefully, the year ahead will bring even more progress, and a few more miracles.— Jared Kushner (@jaredkushner) October 9, 2026Hamas sees Gaza war survival as victory over IsraelOne of the key points going forward that Kushner pointed out was the disarmament of Hamas, something the plan might be far from achieving following recent reports about a new Hamas operation that will involve establishing defenses in Gaza City.According to Friday intelligence presented to Israel's senior political and defense leadership, including the prime minister and defense minister, Hamas's leadership views its ability to withstand the IDF over the past three years as a form of "victory," despite Israel's control of approximately 70% of the Gaza Strip.Hamas considers Israel's territorial control "temporary," according to the information presented to officials."They are convinced that US President Donald Trump's points-based plan for the Gaza Strip, which his son-in-law Kushner is advancing, including a plan for economic development involving tens of billions of dollars in investment, is a direct continuation of Sheik Ahmed Yassin's vision from 1999," a senior security official said. "They believe in it even if it is delayed."The senior security official added: "They tell themselves, and we can see this, that by launching an attack with men wearing beards, jalabiyas, and flip-flops, and through their steadfast resistance against the IDF even after three years, they have not been defeated. They have not surrendered to an army that everyone says is the strongest in the Middle East. Something no other Arab army in the Middle East has managed to achieve."According to the official, Hamas is therefore preparing for an IDF ground maneuver toward Gaza City, despite tensions between the terrorist organization's local leadership and Khalil al-Hayya in Qatar.