Jared Kushner, son-in-law and envoy of former U.S. President Donald Trump, engaged in a significant diplomatic meeting with Khalil al-Hayya, the political chief of Hamas, in Egypt on Sunday. This encounter is part of a renewed American initiative aiming to revive a stalled ceasefire plan in Gaza. The meeting was strategically timed a day before Kushner’s scheduled discussions with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who recently dismissed a U.S.-endorsed 15-point plan intended to guide the next steps toward a ceasefire.
The proposed plan outlines a gradual disarmament of Hamas, coupled with a cessation of Israeli military actions and a partial withdrawal from Gaza. It also includes reconstruction efforts and the establishment of an international force to help maintain security. While Hamas has expressed its commitment to this roadmap, it demands that Israel cease its attacks and withdraw to the pre-agreed “yellow line” before any implementation begins. Hamas also ties the surrender of its heavier weapons to advancements towards establishing a Palestinian state, a prospect Netanyahu’s government opposes.
Netanyahu has maintained that a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza is contingent upon the complete disarmament of Hamas, a stance that has contributed to the current impasse in key aspects of the ceasefire plan, such as reconstruction and the deployment of international forces. Kushner’s engagement with Hamas, attended by officials from Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, was aimed at securing Hamas’s agreement to the disarmament aspect of the plan ahead of his meeting with Netanyahu.
In addition to meeting Netanyahu, Kushner is set to hold discussions with former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Nickolay Mladenov, the director of the Board of Peace. Meanwhile, several regional powers, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Pakistan, and Indonesia, have criticized Israel’s rejection of the U.S.-backed roadmap and are calling for swift action to avoid further delays.
This diplomatic push comes as Netanyahu faces mounting political pressure with an upcoming October election in Israel. His coalition includes ministers favoring a more stringent stance on Gaza, casting uncertainty over the ceasefire plan’s future.