Kushner, Hamas delegation in Egypt for Gaza plan talks

CAIRO: Jared Kushner, US envoy and son-in-law, met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Sunday to discuss the US leader's Gaza plan. This came shortly after Hamas chief Khalil El-Hayya held a separate meeting with Egypt's spymaster. Both discussions focused on the implementation of President Trump's post-war plan for Gaza, which has been stalled since a ceasefire in October last year.

The plan, recently outlined in a roadmap, aims to address two major issues: Hamas's disarmament and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Palestinian territory.

During the meeting between Kushner and Sisi, the Egyptian leader emphasized the importance of all parties fulfilling their obligations under the Gaza Strip ceasefire agreement. Kushner is scheduled to travel to Israel next, which previously rejected the 15-point roadmap approved by Hamas. The roadmap outlines the steps towards the plan, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu firmly opposes it, insisting on Hamas's complete disarmament before any Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

Following the Hamas delegation's meeting with Egyptian intelligence chief Hassan Rashad, the group reaffirmed their commitment to completing President Trump's plan. In July, Hamas expressed readiness to hand over its weapons to a Palestinian technical committee to govern Gaza under the roadmap. However, Netanyahu has consistently rejected the plan, vowing to maintain Israeli forces in Gaza until Hamas is fully disarmed.

The Hamas delegation aims to discuss the latest developments in negotiations and efforts to compel Israel to adhere to the agreement, which includes the 15-point roadmap and the beginning of its implementation. They will also report back to Egyptian officials on Israeli ceasefire violations. A Hamas official informed AFP that discussions would involve Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement, and El-Hayya will underscore the movement's commitment to implementing the agreement as soon as Israel demonstrates its commitment.

Further meetings are planned between the Hamas delegation, Board of Peace's high representative for Gaza Nickolay Mladenov, and US officials during Kushner's visit to Egypt to address obstacles to the agreement. Efforts are also underway to involve Egyptian, Qatari, and Turkish mediators in pressuring Israel to comply with the agreement.