Jared Kushner’s meeting with Netanyahu signifies a new push to revive Trump’s Gaza plan
In the days following Hamas’s acceptance of the Board of Peace’s conditions, Trump’s Middle East envoy, Jared Kushner, sat down with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The two leaders expressed a mutual desire to restart the stalled 15‑point plan that calls for an Israeli troop withdrawal and a new civilian Palestinian administration in Gaza.
Israel’s prime‑minister’s office said the parties had agreed “that there would be no reconstruction in Gaza without Hamas’s complete disarmament.” The plan also demands that any weapons surrendered by Hamas be destroyed rather than stored, to prevent a future re‑take of power by the group.
Kushner’s venture into Gaza diplomacy was preceded by a rare talk with Hamas’s new leader, Khalil al‑Hayya, held on Sunday in Cairo. While the Israeli government remains sceptical about the group’s willingness to disarm, the meeting marks the first high‑level contact between the Board of Peace and Hamas since last year’s ceasefire.
Recent comments from Trump—reporting that Hamas is “giving up their guns” and calling for the cessation of Israeli strikes—have added pressure on Netanyahu, who has struggled to maintain unity in a cabinet that pushes for a more aggressive stance in Gaza.
In a related development, the Board of Peace’s delegation, which includes representatives from Egypt, Qatar and Turkey, also visited Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al‑Sisi to discuss the next steps for a stabilising force in the region.
The ceasefire that began on 10 October remains in place, yet daily Israeli airstrikes continue, with the Israel Defence Forces claiming to target Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants in Khan Younis and Nuseirat. Over 1,200 people have lost their lives, with UNICEF estimating more than 300 child fatalities.
