Trump envoy Kushner arrives in Israel after rare Hamas talks on Gaza peace plan

Former US President Donald Trump's envoy, Jared Kushner, has arrived in Israel to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding a rare discussion about the implementation of a US-backed Gaza peace plan. This meeting comes after Kushner held private talks with Hamas to discuss the plan which includes complete disarmament of Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza, Israeli troops withdrawal, and rebuilding Gaza under a new civilian Palestinian administration.

Hamas, however, has rejected the plan, calling on mediators and the Board of Peace - a group led by Trump - to compel Israel to approve the roadmap for next steps. This has put Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a challenging position with an upcoming election in October. Critics argue that Hamas might not be ready to disarm, while many Israelis are skeptical about the readiness of Hamas for disarmament.

The talks reportedly included discussions on specific actions to disarm Hamas, withdrawal of Israeli troops, and humanitarian efforts. High-ranking officials like Nickolay Mladenov and Tony Blair were part of the meeting, along with representatives from Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey.

Kushner also met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi during his visit to Egypt. Israel's Defense Forces (IDF) have continued airstrikes on Gaza despite the rejection of the peace plan, killing more than 73,000 people since the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas. The Israeli military stated that recent strikes were targeted at Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists. Critics, including Netanyahu, emphasized that Israel would not withdraw until Hamas is genuinely disarmed.