Hamas leaders have convened in Egypt with US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and Middle East envoy Jared Kushner, initiating a high-stakes meeting aimed at reshaping the Gaza peace process. The meeting, reportedly initiated by Kushner, centers on a rejected Israeli proposal – a long-standing plan that has been criticized by both sides as insufficient to address the fundamental issues of the conflict. The agreement, according to sources close to the negotiations, aims to translate Hamas’s disarmament into concrete, verifiable steps, a critical element in any potential resolution. Kushner’s trip to Israel and Egypt represents a strategic effort to navigate diverging perspectives over Trump’s recently outlined roadmap for Gaza, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has deemed unacceptable. The involvement of Nickolay Mladenov, a high-ranking representative of the Board of Peace, and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, further underscores the significance of the discussions, suggesting a concerted effort to influence the trajectory of the conflict. The meeting’s objective is reportedly to facilitate a dialogue between Hamas and the US, with Kushner emphasizing the need for a comprehensive disarmament plan. Hamas, meanwhile, has affirmed its commitment to the agreement, a statement corroborated by a source with inside knowledge of the talks. The United States has long resisted direct engagement with Hamas, classifying it as a ‘terrorist organization’, but the Trump administration has increasingly leaned towards direct contact in the hope of achieving a cessation of hostilities in Gaza. Earlier this week, Al-Hayya met with Rashad, Reuters reported, while Kushner had previously met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, a meeting which was confirmed by the Egyptian official. A senior Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, indicated that Kushner and Mladenov were scheduled to meet on Monday with Netanyahu, a meeting that has generated considerable concern within Israel regarding the administration’s demand for targeted assassinations of Hamas fighters in Gaza. The Israeli government has expressed apprehension about Washington’s insistence on ending these operations, citing concerns about potential escalation and the implications for regional stability. Trump’s peace plan, as previously announced, calls for the immediate cessation of military operations in Gaza, envisioning a new civilian Palestinian administration and a rebuild of the enclave under a new framework. After a period of diminished military activity, Israel has resumed airstrikes in recent days, a strategy largely dictated by a 2025 ‘ceasefire’ agreement. At least five Palestinians have been injured following an Israeli strike on a tent encampment in Khan Younis, and several others were wounded in a separate airstrike in the Nuseirat refugee camp in Gaza. Trump announced last month that there had been a breakthrough in his plan to end the war, with both Israel and Hamas agreeing to the framework. Hamas stated it had agreed to the plan to avoid a resumption of hostilities, but added that implementation would depend on Israel first meeting its own commitments, including withdrawing its forces and halting attacks. More than 1,250 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since the ‘ceasefire’ took effect in Gaza, with the overall death toll since October 2023 exceeding 73,300. The situation in Gaza remains dire, with humanitarian concerns growing rapidly as the conflict continues.
Source: Al Jazeera
