Jerusalem: US envoy Jared Kushner is scheduled to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday following discussions with Hamas leaders in Egypt, focusing on reviving a US-backed Gaza peace plan that Israel has previously rejected. The meeting occurs two weeks after Hamas endorsed the latest stage of the plan, which Netanyahu has refused to support, emphasizing that any settlement must ensure Hamas is "genuinely disarmed."
According to TRTworld.com, Kushner met with Hamas's new leader Khalil al-Hayya in the Egyptian Mediterranean city of El-Alamein on Sunday. During the talks, Kushner urged Hamas to take "concrete, verifiable steps" and communicated that "Gaza can never again be a source of terror for Israel," as stated by a source who requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the discussions. Hamas reiterated its commitment to the plan, according to another source.
The Palestinian group subsequently called on mediators and Trump's so-called Board of Peace to "compel" Israel to "approve the roadmap... and begin establishing a timetable for its implementation." A picture released by Egypt did not show al-Hayya, but depicted Kushner with members of the Board of Peace, including former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Qatar and Trkiye, key mediators alongside Egypt, were also present.
The United States had previously avoided contact with Hamas, which led the October 7, 2023, surprise attack on Israel followed by an Israeli military response in Gaza. However, the Trump administration has grown more open to direct contact in hopes of ending the conflict, including negotiating the October ceasefire agreement that resulted in the release of remaining Israeli hostages.
In a joint statement, three regional mediator countries and five fellow Muslim nations - Trkiye, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, and Indonesia - condemned Israel's rejection of the plan. They stated that "Israel bears direct and full responsibility" for obstructing peace and warned that its refusal "directly threatens to derail extensive efforts" by Trump.
Netanyahu's Likud Party responded by claiming that "the Arab countries want to bring down the prime minister" in the upcoming election. The involvement of the UAE is notable, as it normalized relations with Israel five years ago, initiating an economic and strategic partnership that Netanyahu regards as a significant achievement.
Netanyahu opposed the US plan even after assurances from Nickolay Mladenov, the Board of Peace's high representative for Gaza, that Israel would not need to withdraw troops from the war-torn territory until Hamas's complete disarmament. Initially, the board suggested a phased Israeli withdrawal in tandem with Hamas's disarmament.
Meanwhile, Israel has resumed air strikes and opened fire in Gaza, injuring several Palestinians in Nuseirat and Khan Yunis. According to Palestine's health ministry in Gaza, at least 1,262 Palestinians have been killed since the October 10 ceasefire.