Kushner to Meet Netanyahu After Hamas Talks
Usagevpn.com – US special envoy Jared Kushner is set to meet Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday in Jerusalem, arriving from a Sunday closed-door session with Hamas leadership in Egypt’s Mediterranean port of El-Alamein. Both meetings serve a single objective: to salvage a US-backed peace framework for Gaza that the Israeli government has repeatedly declined to endorse, even as Hamas has formally accepted its latest iteration.
The diplomatic push follows a two-week window in which Hamas signalled approval of the most recent phase of President Trump’s Gaza plan. The Israeli leader, however, has held firm in his refusal, maintaining that any final arrangement must guarantee the group is “genuinely disarmed” before Israel commits to its own obligations under the roadmap.
What Happened at El-Alamein
The American diplomat met Khalil al-Hayya, Hamas’s newly installed political leader, on Sunday. Sources familiar with the discussions described the envoy pressing the Palestinian faction to move beyond rhetoric and take “concrete, verifiable steps” toward implementation. He also conveyed a firm message: “Gaza can never again be a source of terror for Israel.”
Hamas, for its part, reiterated its commitment to the plan. In a statement issued after the session, the group urged the mediation trio and Trump’s so-called Board of Peace to “compel” Israel to “approve the roadmap… and begin establishing a timetable for its implementation.” The language marks a notable escalation in tone from a faction that, until recently, had been locked in open warfare with its neighbour.
A photograph released by host Egypt showed the envoy seated at a table with members of the Board of Peace, among them former British prime minister Tony Blair. Representatives from Qatar and Turkey — the other two principal mediators alongside Egypt — were also present. Al-Hayya himself did not appear in the released image.
Why Direct US–Hamas Contact Matters
For decades, Washington treated formal engagement with Hamas as diplomatically untenable, classifying the movement as a terrorist organisation and largely channeling communication through intermediaries. That posture shifted under the current administration, which has grown increasingly comfortable with face-to-face contact in pursuit of ending what has become one of the most destructive conflicts in modern Middle East history. The same channel was used to negotiate the October ceasefire agreement that ultimately secured the release of remaining Israeli hostages held since the 7 October 2023 attack that ignited the latest Gaza war.
Regional Backlash and Political Fallout
The three mediator states — Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey — joined five additional Muslim-majority nations (Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, and Indonesia) in issuing a joint condemnation of Israel’s continued rejection of the plan on Sunday. The statement declared that “Israel bears direct and full responsibility” for obstructing peace and that its refusal “directly threatens to derail extensive efforts” undertaken by the Trump administration.
“The Arab countries want to bring down the prime minister” in the election, the Likud Party countered, framing the diplomatic pressure as an electoral manoeuvre rather than a genuine peace initiative.
The inclusion of the UAE in the condemning bloc carries particular weight. Abu Dhabi normalised relations with Israel five years ago, launching an economic and strategic partnership that the Israeli leader himself has long touted as a signature achievement of his premiership. Its public alignment with the mediators against his government’s position underscores how tightly the peace question is now woven into regional politics.
The Disarmament Deadlock
Even after receiving assurances from Nickolay Mladenov — the Board of Peace’s high representative for Gaza — that Israeli forces would not be required to withdraw from the war-torn territory until Hamas completes a full disarmament process, the Israeli PM maintained his opposition. The Board had originally outlined a phased withdrawal running in tandem with Hamas’s progressive disarmament, a sequencing that Israel’s leadership finds unacceptable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where and when will the envoy meet the Israeli PM?
The sit-down is scheduled for Monday in Jerusalem. It follows a Sunday session with Hamas leadership held in El-Alamein, Egypt.
What is the core sticking point between the two sides?
Israel insists Hamas must be fully and verifiably disarmed before any Israeli withdrawal or obligation under the roadmap begins. Hamas and the mediators argue the phased sequencing outlined by the Board of Peace already accommodates that concern.
Who are the mediators involved?
Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey serve as the principal mediation trio. They are supported by Trump’s Board of Peace, which includes figures such as former UK PM Tony Blair and high representative Nickolay Mladenov.
Has the ceasefire held?
Israeli airstrikes resumed across Gaza following a brief lull that coincided with Trump’s public promotion of the plan. On Sunday, several people were injured after aircraft struck a house west of Nuseirat, according to Gaza’s health ministry spokesman Mahmoud Bassal.
