Trump envoy Kushner meets Hamas leader on Gaza plan
US Middle East envoy Jared Kushner has held rare talks with Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya in Egypt to push the Gaza peace plan amid Israeli opposition.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- US envoy Jared Kushner met with a Hamas delegation in Egypt on Sunday.
- Talks focused on weapon decommissioning, Israeli troop withdrawal, and aid.
- Eight Muslim nations condemned Israel's rejection of the US-backed plan.
- Nickolay Mladenov and Tony Blair also joined the diplomatic meetings.
US President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy, Jared Kushner, has conducted rare discussions with Hamas to advance the implementation of the US-backed Gaza peace plan. This marks the highest-level meeting of its kind since the ceasefire agreement for the Gaza Strip was reached last year.
A Palestinian official informed the BBC that the son-in-law of Donald Trump met with a delegation led by Khalil al-Hayya, the new leader of Hamas, in Egypt on Sunday. Reports also indicated that Board of Peace envoys Nickolay Mladenov and former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair participated in the meeting alongside representatives from Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, who have been acting as mediators.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
While no official statement has been published, the discussions reportedly concentrated on concrete steps such as decommissioning Hamas weapons, withdrawing Israeli troops, and delivering humanitarian aid. During his stay in Egypt, Kushner also held a meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.
The Board of Peace was originally created as an international organization aimed at bringing peace to Gaza before expanding its scope to global conflicts, illustrating the US administration's aggressive diplomatic push. However, bridging the massive gap between Israel's firm demand for total prior disarmament and the negotiating stance of Palestinian factions remains a critical hurdle.
On Sunday, eight Muslim countries—Egypt, the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Turkey, Pakistan, and Indonesia—released a joint statement condemning Israel's rejection of the US plan, warning that it threatens Trump's peace efforts.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that he requires a complete disarmament of Hamas first in order to implement any agreement. According to Israeli media reports, Kushner, Mladenov, and Blair are scheduled to meet Netanyahu on Monday to continue pushing the initiative.
The ground situation remains tense. Although the ceasefire that took effect on October 10 of last year remains formally in place, the Israel Defense Forces have carried out multiple strikes in Gaza, accusing Hamas of violating the truce. The ongoing war was triggered by the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in about 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages taken.
According to the Gaza health ministry, whose figures are deemed reliable by the UN, Israel's subsequent military campaign has killed more than 73,000 people. The United Nations further estimates that approximately 1.9 million people—representing 90% of Gaza's population—have been displaced since the conflict began.
Source: BBC World
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