Middle East live: US envoy Kushner to meet Netanyahu after talks with Hamas

Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump's son-in-law, met with Hamas' new leader Khalil al-Hayya in Egypt on Sunday, in an effort to revive a Gaza peace plan that was previously rejected by Israel. This meeting came two weeks after Hamas endorsed the latest stage of Trump's Gaza plan, agreeing to hand over weapons to a new governing committee.

Kushner pushed for verifiable disarmament, a key demand from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. During the talks, al-Hayya reiterated Hamas' commitment to the plan, while also calling for mediators, including Trump's Board of Peace, to compel Israel to approve the roadmap and establish a timeline for its implementation. The talks were attended by representatives from Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, who are key mediators alongside Egypt.

The United States, which has a history of not engaging with Hamas due to its classification as a terrorist organization, has been more open to direct contact in recent times, following the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel that sparked the Gaza war. However, Israel and its regional allies, such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, have strongly condemned Israel's rejection of the plan, with the United Arab Emirates' inclusion marking a significant shift in its relationship with Israel.