DistantNews
Support us
🇶🇦 Qatar /Conflict & Security

Kushner meets Hamas leaders in Egypt amid push for Gaza disarmament plan

From Al Jazeera · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Unnamed sources Ongoing story
  • Jared Kushner met with Hamas leaders in Egypt to discuss a Gaza plan, reportedly pushing for disarmament and an end to Hamas's role in Gaza's governance.
  • The meeting occurred as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected a Gaza plan proposed by former U.S. President Donald Trump.
  • Hamas reiterated its commitment to an unspecified agreement, while the U.S. seeks verifiable steps toward disarmament, despite past U.S. policy of avoiding contact with Hamas.

Jared Kushner, a Middle East envoy for former U.S. President Donald Trump, met with Hamas leaders in Egypt on Sunday, aiming to advance a Gaza plan that has been met with rejection from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Hamas leaders have met in Egypt with US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and Middle East envoy Jared Kushner, who is seeking to push a Gaza plan rejected by Israel.

— Diplomatic sourcesReporting on the meeting between Kushner and Hamas leaders and the context of Trump's Gaza plan.

Diplomatic sources indicate that Kushner pressed Hamas for strong disarmament measures and insisted on ending the organization's future role in governing Gaza. The meeting, which also included Egyptian intelligence chief Hassan Rashad, Qatari diplomat Ali Al Thawadi, and a senior Turkish official, sought to translate Hamas's commitment to an agreement into concrete, verifiable steps. Hamas, for its part, reiterated its commitment to the deal during the discussions.

Kushner's trip, which also included a visit to Israel, is part of an effort to bridge differences over Trump's latest roadmap for Gaza. Netanyahu had previously described the plan as "unacceptable." Trump's "Board of Peace" high representative Nickolay Mladenov and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, also members of the board, accompanied Kushner.

Kushner pushed for disarmament and an end to any future Hamas role in running Gaza.

— Diplomatic sourcesDetailing the objectives of Jared Kushner during his meeting with Hamas.

Despite the U.S. classifying Hamas as a "terrorist organization" for years, the Trump administration has shown increasing willingness to engage directly in hopes of resolving the conflict. This engagement comes as Israeli airstrikes continue in Gaza, with at least five Palestinians injured on Sunday after an Israeli strike hit a tent encampment in Khan Younis. The U.S. plan reportedly calls for an immediate cessation of military operations, Hamas disarmament, Israeli troop withdrawal, and rebuilding Gaza under a new Palestinian administration.

Hamas reiterated its commitment in the meeting on Sunday to the deal.

— Diplomatic sourcesStating Hamas's position during the talks with Jared Kushner.

Neither Hamas nor the U.S. envoy has officially confirmed the meeting took place. Earlier, Hamas political leader Khalil al-Hayya met with Egyptian intelligence chief Rashad, while Kushner had met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. A senior Israeli official stated that Kushner and Mladenov were scheduled to meet with Netanyahu on Monday, with Israel reportedly concerned about U.S. demands to end targeted assassinations of Hamas fighters.

The objective of the meeting was 'translating' Hamas’s disarmament 'into concrete, verifiable steps'.

— Source with knowledge of the talksExplaining the desired outcome of the meeting regarding Hamas's disarmament.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Al Jazeera in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog