Jared Kushner, the son-in-law and envoy of Donald Trump, held discussions with Khalil al-Hayya, the political leader of Hamas, in Egypt on Sunday. This meeting was part of a renewed effort by the United States to revive a stalled ceasefire plan in Gaza. Scheduled for the following day, Kushner was set to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who recently turned down a US-backed 15-point roadmap intended to guide the next phase of the ceasefire.
The proposed plan suggests that Hamas should gradually relinquish its weapons, while Israel would cease military operations and withdraw from certain areas of Gaza. The roadmap also includes plans for reconstruction and the deployment of international forces to maintain security. Although Hamas has expressed commitment to the roadmap, it insists that Israel must stop its attacks and withdraw to the agreed ‘yellow line’ before the plan can be implemented. Additionally, Hamas has tied the surrender of its heavier weapons to progress toward establishing a Palestinian state, a notion opposed by Netanyahu’s government.
Netanyahu has maintained that Israeli forces will not fully withdraw from Gaza until Hamas is completely disarmed, causing a stall in critical components of the ceasefire plan, including reconstruction efforts and the introduction of international forces. The meeting between Kushner and Hamas, attended by officials from Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, aimed to secure Hamas’s commitment to the plan, particularly regarding disarmament, before Kushner’s engagement with Netanyahu.
Kushner is also expected to meet with Netanyahu alongside former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Nickolay Mladenov, director of the Board of Peace. Several regional nations, such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Pakistan, and Indonesia, have criticized Israel’s rejection of the US-backed roadmap and are urging immediate action to prevent further delays in the peace process.
This renewed diplomatic push occurs as Netanyahu faces political pressure ahead of Israel’s October election. His coalition includes ministers who advocate for a tougher stance on Gaza, casting uncertainty over the future of the ceasefire plan.