트럼프 사위, 하마스 수장 만나 “가자지구 무장해제 타협 없다” 압박

Former US President Donald Trump's representative, US Ambassador to Israel Jared Kushner, met with Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal in a rare direct conversation, according to reports. Kushner reportedly pressured Meshaal to agree to Gaza Strip disarming and transferring governance to a new expert government, called the Gaza Strip National Authority Council, without Hamas involvement.

The meeting occurred in Egypt on October 16, 2021. The core of the discussion was about Hamas' practical disarmament plan, which required the Palestinian group to take visible steps towards disarming. Kushner demanded that Hamas demonstrate a concrete disarmament plan, stating that Israel does not trust Hamas to fulfill disarmament agreements.

Meshaal subsequently informed Trump's administration that Hamas would not participate in implementing the US-led 'peace plan' and pledged not to involve in future operations. However, the Israeli military's ongoing presence in Gaza caused tensions between the two sides. Hamas' response to the peace proposal included agreeing to a two-phase Trump peace roadmap, which includes a permanent ceasefire, complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, ongoing humanitarian aid, and reconstruction.

Hamas also expressed readiness to cede governance to the Gaza Strip National Authority Council and not interfere in the new government's operations once it takes power. The success of the peace plan now largely depends on the level of mutual alignment between Hamas' disarmament and Israel's 'mutual concessions'. While Hamas has previously indicated willingness to disarm, its insistence on Israel's military presence in Gaza and the Palestinian Prime Minister's rejection of the US peace roadmap make reaching a compromise challenging at present.

Kushner plans to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel on October 17 to push for Israel's mutual concessions.