Jerusalem: US envoy Jared Kushner is scheduled to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu following discussions with Hamas leaders in Egypt, aiming to revive a US-backed Gaza peace plan that Israel has previously rejected.
According to TRTworld.com, the meeting with Netanyahu comes two weeks after Hamas showed support for the latest stage of Trump's Gaza plan. However, Netanyahu has refused to endorse the plan, insisting that any settlement must ensure Hamas is "genuinely disarmed." Kushner, having met with Hamas's new leader Khalil al-Hayya in El-Alamein, Egypt, urged Hamas to take "concrete, verifiable steps" to ensure Gaza does not become a source of terror for Israel again.
During the meeting, Hamas reiterated its commitment to the plan and called on mediators and Trump's Board of Peace to compel Israel to approve the roadmap and establish a timetable for its implementation. A released photograph, excluding al-Hayya, showed Kushner with members of the Board of Peace and key mediators from Qatar and Trkiye.
For years, the United States refrained from engaging with Hamas, which led the October 7, 2023, surprise attack on Israel, followed by an Israeli war on Gaza. However, the Trump administration has become more open to direct contact, negotiating a ceasefire agreement in October that facilitated the release of remaining Israeli hostages.
The three regional mediator countries, alongside five other Muslim nations, criticized Israel's rejection of the plan in a joint statement. They accused Israel of obstructing peace and threatening to derail extensive efforts by Trump. Netanyahu's Likud Party responded, arguing that "the Arab countries want to bring down the prime minister" in the election. The UAE's inclusion in the condemnation is noteworthy, given its normalized relations with Israel five years ago.
Despite assurances from Nickolay Mladenov, the Board of Peace's high representative for Gaza, that Israel would not need to withdraw troops until Hamas's complete disarmament, Netanyahu remains opposed to the US plan. In the meantime, Israel has resumed airstrikes and opened fire in Gaza, resulting in injuries to several Palestinians. The Palestinian health ministry in Gaza reports that at least 1,262 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire on October 10.