Jared Kushner Meets Netanyahu in Jerusalem

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed U.S. President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, to Jerusalem on Monday, amid the ongoing stalemate over a US-backed plan for the governance of the Gaza Strip. The meeting also included Nickolay Mladenov, Trump's Board of Peace envoy for Gaza, and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. This came a day after Kushner had met with Hamas leader Khalil Al-Hayya in Cairo, Egypt.

Netanyahu had previously rejected a Trump proposal, which would have seen Hamas disarm and Israeli troops withdraw from the Gaza Strip. The plan, to be implemented in phases, involved an International Stabilization Force complemented by a new Palestinian police force. However, Hamas has not agreed to the plan, and Netanyahu insists that Israel's military will only withdraw once Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza are completely disarmed.

Israeli troops currently occupy around 60% of the territory, and Netanyahu has threatened to advance further. His poll numbers are declining ahead of the October 27 general election, with some polls placing him behind centrist challenger Gadi Eisenkot. Israeli Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, a member of Netanyahu's government, called for more targeted killings in Gaza, suggesting that 30 to 40 Palestinians should be killed every night, not just those posing an immediate threat but also those deemed unworthy of life.

Iran's deputy foreign minister condemned Ben-Gvir's remarks, accusing him of advocating for genocide.