Jared Kushner, the son-in-law and envoy of former U.S. President Donald Trump, met with Hamas political leader Khalil al-Hayya in Egypt on Sunday. This meeting was part of a renewed diplomatic effort by the U.S. to revive a stalled ceasefire plan in Gaza. The discussions preceded a scheduled meeting between Kushner and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who recently turned down a U.S.-endorsed 15-point proposal for advancing the ceasefire.
The proposed plan outlines a gradual disarmament of Hamas, while Israel would stop military activities and withdraw from specific areas of Gaza. It also includes provisions for reconstruction efforts and the deployment of international forces to assist in maintaining security. Hamas has expressed its commitment to the roadmap but insists on Israel halting attacks and withdrawing to the agreed “yellow line” before implementation. Furthermore, Hamas has tied the surrender of its heavier weapons to progress toward establishing a Palestinian state, a notion opposed by Netanyahu’s administration.
Netanyahu has maintained that complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza hinges on the full disarmament of Hamas. This disagreement has led to a standstill in crucial parts of the ceasefire plan, such as reconstruction and the deployment of international forces. Kushner’s meeting with Hamas included representatives from Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, focusing on securing Hamas’s agreement to the plan, especially concerning disarmament, before Kushner’s meeting with Netanyahu.
In addition to Netanyahu, Kushner is expected to meet with former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Nickolay Mladenov, director of the Board of Peace. Several regional nations, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Pakistan, and Indonesia, have criticized Israel’s rejection of the U.S.-supported plan and have called for immediate action to prevent further delays.
This diplomatic initiative comes at a time when Netanyahu is facing political pressure ahead of Israel’s October election. His coalition includes ministers advocating for a more stringent approach to Gaza, casting uncertainty over the future of the ceasefire plan.