Trump envoy Kushner meets Hamas leader to push Gaza peace plan

U.S. President Donald Trump's envoy, Jared Kushner, met with a delegation led by Hamas's new leader Khalil al-Hayya in Egypt on Sunday, to discuss the implementation of the U.S.-backed Gaza peace plan. The meeting is reportedly the first of its level since last year's ceasefire agreement for the Gaza Strip. Other envoys present included Board of Peace representatives Nickolay Mladenov and former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, along with officials from Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey.

No official statement has been released regarding the talks, which are said to focus on concrete actions to disarm Hamas, withdraw Israeli troops, and aid humanitarian efforts. While in Egypt, Kushner also met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Reports indicate that Kushner, Mladenov, and Blair will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday to further advance Trump's plan.

However, Netanyahu has stated that Israel will only withdraw its forces once Hamas is fully disarmed. The U.S. plan has been rejected by Israel, with Netanyahu refusing to carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is genuinely disarmed. Several Muslim countries, including Egypt, UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Turkey, Pakistan, and Indonesia, condemned Israel's rejection of the U.S. plan, stating it threatens Trump's peace efforts.

The ceasefire, which began on October 10, 2023, remains in effect, but Israel has conducted several strikes in Gaza since then, accusing Hamas of breaching the truce. The war was triggered by a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in over 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages. Israel responded with a military campaign in Gaza, causing the displacement of about 1.9 million Palestinians, or 90% of Gaza's population.