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Cairo talks before Kushner
Hamas political leader and chief negotiator Khalil al-Hayya is travelling to Cairo for talks with Egyptian officials ahead of a planned Middle East visit by U.S. President Donald Trump’s envoy Jared Kushner.
“Khalil al-Hayya is travelling to Cairo for talks with Egyptian officials”
Al Jazeera reported that al-Hayya was expected to meet Egyptian intelligence chief Hassan Rashad on Sunday morning, and that Kushner next week would travel to Israel and Egypt to narrow differences over a Gaza plan rejected by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The Anadolu Ajansı account said a Hamas delegation met Hassan Rashad in Cairo to discuss ways to complete the implementation of US President Donald Trump's plan for Gaza, and added that Hamas praised Egyptian efforts to consolidate the Gaza ceasefire and reaffirmed its commitment to Trump’s plan to alleviate suffering and start reconstruction.
In the same context, Anadolu said Kushner was scheduled to travel to Israel on Monday for talks with Netanyahu, while Haaretz described al-Hayya’s Cairo arrival as part of efforts to save a Gaza truce.
Al Jazeera also linked the diplomacy to ongoing Israeli attacks in Gaza, saying on Saturday Israeli fire killed two Palestinians and wounded 14 others after air strikes, artillery shelling and demolitions in different parts of the strip, according to the territory’s Ministry of Health.
Roadmap dispute and quotes
The dispute over the roadmap is framed in the sources around Netanyahu’s refusal to withdraw before Hamas is disarmed, with Al Jazeera quoting Netanyahu’s position that Israeli forces “will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is genuinely disarmed”.
Al Jazeera also quoted Hamas political bureau member Basem Naim telling AFP on Friday, “We continue to await pressure from the mediators and the US side on Netanyahu and his government to compel him to abide by the roadmap,” as Israeli attacks continued in Gaza.
Anadolu Ajansı reported that Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said early Sunday that the talks in Egypt aim to brief mediators on Israel's violations and ensure Tel Aviv's adherence to the Gaza roadmap.
Anadolu further said Hamas described Israeli actions as “a dangerous, destructive policy that requires attention at both the regional and international levels,” while its statement said the delegation reviewed political and field developments in Gaza and the occupied West Bank including daily Israeli violations.
In parallel, the Anadolu account said Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi met Kushner’s adviser in New Alamein, with the presidency statement saying Sisi stressed the need for all parties to fulfill their obligations under the Gaza agreement and emphasized “the need to resolve the various crises in the region to preserve regional stability”.
Casualties, governance, and next steps
The sources tie the Cairo diplomacy to the scale of the conflict, with Al Jazeera saying more than 1,250 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed by Israeli fire since the ceasefire took effect in October last year and that the overall death toll since October 2023 exceeded 73,300.
“overall death toll since October 2023 exceeding 73,300”
Anadolu Ajansı similarly cited Gaza’s Health Ministry figures, saying that despite a truce that has remained in place since October 2025, the army has continued its attacks in the Palestinian enclave, killing at least 1,260 and injuring over 4,100 others.
Asharq Al-Awsat described the roadmap mediators are pushing for, saying it calls for the disarmament of Hamas and other Palestinian groups in Gaza, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the area, and handing over power to Palestinian technocrats.
Asharq Al-Awsat also said Israel’s Netanyahu rejected Trump’s latest plan and would not withdraw from any of the roughly 60% of the territory it controls until Hamas has been completely disarmed, while the group controlling the other 40% has long resisted.
Copts United added that the Hamas delegation led by Khalil al-Hayya met Egyptian General Intelligence Service Minister Hassan Rashed in Cairo to discuss developments in the Gaza Strip and the continuation of implementing understandings related to the ceasefire, with Hamas reiterating its commitment to implement U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan and praising Egypt’s efforts to promote stability and solidify the ceasefire.
