Hamas chief heads to Cairo for talks ahead of Kushner visit

Jared Kushner, the US envoy, is scheduled to visit Israel and Egypt next week in an attempt to mend divisions over a Gaza plan that was rejected by Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The visit, which will mark Kushner's first time in the region since taking on the role of high representative for Gaza of Trump's Board of Peace, aims to facilitate constructive talks on advancing the peace plan.

Kushner will be accompanied by Nickolay Mladenov, the high representative for Gaza, who will be working on implementing the deal. The plan, which was initially announced by Mladenov, involves Hamas agreeing to hand over its weapons to a new Palestinian governing committee in Gaza. However, the plan has faced criticism from Netanyahu, who publicly dismissed it and demanded that Hamas fully disarm before any withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Strip.

Hamas political chief Khalil al-Hayya, who assumed leadership of the organization in late July, is set to travel to Cairo on Saturday evening for talks with Egyptian officials. This will be Hayya's first visit to Egypt since taking on his leadership role. He is scheduled to meet with Egypt's intelligence chief, Hassan Rashad, on Sunday morning.

Hamas has maintained that it is adhering to the deal and continues to await pressure from mediators and the US side to compel Netanyahu and his government to comply with the roadmap.