Jerusalem: US envoy Jared Kushner is scheduled to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday after engaging in discussions with Hamas leaders in Egypt. These talks are part of efforts to revive a US-backed Gaza peace plan that has faced rejection from Israel.
According to TRTworld.com, the meeting comes on the heels of Hamas endorsing the latest stage of former President Trump's Gaza plan two weeks ago. Netanyahu has remained firm in his stance against the plan, demanding that any agreement must ensure Hamas is "genuinely disarmed." During his meeting in El-Alamein, Egypt, Kushner urged Hamas to take "concrete, verifiable steps" to ensure that Gaza ceases to be a source of terror for Israel. Despite the sensitive nature of the discussions, Hamas reiterated its commitment to the plan.
Hamas has appealed to mediators and Trump's Board of Peace to pressure Israel into approving the roadmap and establishing a timetable for its implementation. A photograph released by Egypt did not show Hamas's new leader Khalil al-Hayya but included Kushner and members of the Board of Peace, such as former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Qatar and Trkiye, along with Egypt, are key mediators in the process.
The United States has historically refused contact with Hamas, especially following the group's October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which resulted in an Israeli military offensive on Gaza. However, the Trump administration has increasingly engaged in direct contact, aiming to resolve the ongoing conflict and negotiate the October ceasefire agreement that led to the release of remaining Israeli hostages.
Meanwhile, regional mediator countries, along with Trkiye, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, and Indonesia, have condemned Israel's rejection of the plan. In a joint statement, these nations accused Israel of obstructing peace efforts, which they claim threatens the extensive efforts led by Trump.
Netanyahu's Likud Party has responded by accusing Arab countries of attempting to undermine his position in the upcoming election. The UAE's inclusion in the condemnation is notable, given its normalization of relations with Israel five years ago, which was seen as a strategic accomplishment by Netanyahu.
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. The board initially proposed a phased withdrawal of Israeli forces in tandem with Hamas's disarmament.
In recent developments, Israel has resumed airstrikes and opened fire in Gaza, resulting in injuries to 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 ceasefire that began on October 10.