U.S. envoy Jared Kushner recently attributed the lack of progress on Gaza peace efforts to the political climate in Israel, noting that the upcoming national elections have made the country "a little irrational" in certain areas. Speaking at a conference in Kyiv, Kushner linked the stalled U.S. initiatives to disarm Hamas and rebuild Gaza to the domestic political tensions in Israel. With Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu facing a tight race against his opponents in the late October elections, Kushner said the U.S. agrees with Israel on the ultimate goal of peace but acknowledged the election's impact on the Gaza peace plan. Efforts to advance a plan for disarming Hamas and enabling investment in Gaza's reconstruction have hit roadblocks due to disagreements between Israel and Hamas about the proposed roadmap. Much of Gaza was devastated during the war that began nearly three years ago after Hamas launched an attack on Israel. Many Palestinians are still living in makeshift tents more than a year after Israel and Hamas agreed to a U.S.-brokered ceasefire. Kushner did not explain how the Israeli government is hindering the Gaza peace plan but said, "Gaza has not worked for a very, very long time. It was basically built by NGOs and terrorists," adding that the U.S. now has a plan to move forward. A U.S. official familiar with the matter said Israel has not provided the necessary guarantees to establish a new police force in Gaza, a key component of building a security system independent of Hamas. Additionally, Israel has not fulfilled its commitments to allow materials for certain reconstruction projects. The peace plan negotiated by the Board of Peace in August outlines a process where Hamas would gradually disarm while Israel simultaneously withdraws from areas it controls in Gaza. Israel has controlled over half of Gaza's territory since the ceasefire began. However, Netanyahu rejected the plan, stating Israel would not withdraw until Hamas is "genuinely disarmed." Israeli officials believe Hamas will not surrender all its weapons unless Israel maintains its military presence in Gaza. Hamas has agreed to the U.S.-backed plan but has resisted disarming, arguing that Israel has not fulfilled its part of the ceasefire agreement. Meanwhile, Israel continues near-daily airstrikes in Gaza, claiming they are aimed at preventing imminent threats to its soldiers and disrupting Hamas' efforts to regroup and rearm. U.S. officials believe some of these strikes go beyond Israel's defensive needs and contribute to ongoing instability in the region.