Full story
Kushner Meets Hamas
Hamas leaders met in Egypt with US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and Middle East envoy Jared Kushner as Kushner sought to push a peace plan for Gaza that Israel has rejected.
“Hamas leaders have met in Egypt with US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and Middle East envoy, Jared Kushner”
An Al Jazeera Palestinian source said Hamas’s leadership briefed Kushner on Israel’s ceasefire violations in Gaza, and the source added that Kushner said the US rejects any plans to displace Gaza’s residents.
Another official familiar with the matter told Al Jazeera that Hamas and Kushner met in the town of Alamein “with the objective of translating the roadmap’s obligations into concrete, verifiable steps”.
The same Al Jazeera source said the talks were aimed at actions that “maintain the ceasefire; begin to transfer all governing responsibilities to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza; ensure that Hamas has no role in Gaza’s future administration,” while Hamas political leader Khalil al-Hayya attended the talks.
Al Jazeera also reported that Board of Peace envoy Nickolay Mladenov and former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair joined Kushner in the meeting, and that Israeli strikes continued as foreign ministers of eight nations condemned Israel’s rejection of the roadmap for Gaza.
Condemnations and Demands
A joint statement cited by Arab News said Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and six other Muslim countries condemned Israel’s rejection of a roadmap for implementing Trump’s Gaza peace plan, with the Pakistani foreign ministry saying the roadmap was developed through mediation involving Egypt, Qatar, Turkiye, and the US.
The Arab News report said the foreign ministers accused Israel of undermining the Gaza peace plan’s implementation and of “condemn the declared Israeli rejection of the Road Map” and of Palestinian statehood, warning that such rejection confirms Israel now bears responsibility for obstructing efforts to bring peace in Gaza.
In parallel, TRT World said Türkiye and seven other countries condemned Israel’s rejection of the roadmap, describing it as a “direct repudiation” of Trump’s Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict endorsed by UN Security Council Resolution 2803.
TRT World also quoted the ministers warning that rejecting the roadmap amounts to an explicit refusal to proceed with implementation and threatens to derail US efforts to end the war and establish conditions for lasting peace.
The same TRT World report said the ministers called for “sustained and active US engagement” to ensure Israel’s full compliance with the commitments and arrangements set out under the plan and roadmap.
Stakes for Gaza’s Next Phase
The Al Jazeera report said the roadmap calls for the immediate cessation of military operations in the enclave and foresees Hamas disarming as Israeli troops withdraw, with Gaza rebuilt under a new civilian Palestinian administration.
“acceptance” of the roadmap for the second phase”
Al Jazeera also reported that Hamas said it emphasised its “acceptance” of the roadmap for the second phase during the meeting, while adding that Israel “failed to implement this phase, escalating its military operations on the ground and deepening the humanitarian catastrophe”.
Armenpress, citing Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Fahmy, accused Benjamin Netanyahu of trying to derail Gaza settlement efforts by seeking to preserve the status quo and maintain an Israeli military presence in the enclave, while Fahmy said the continuation means “the continuation of daily killings, the expansion of the occupation and obstruction of efforts to address the catastrophic humanitarian situation”.
Armenpress further said Fahmy described arrangements reached through mediators as providing for Hamas’s disarmament alongside the withdrawal of Israeli troops, the deployment of an international stabilisation force, and the transfer of administrative powers to a national committee for the administration of Gaza.
Roya News added that Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Fahmy welcomed a statement by eight Arab and Muslim countries condemning “Israel’s” announced rejection of a roadmap aimed at completing a comprehensive plan to end the conflict in the Gaza Strip.
