Kushner’s Meeting with Hamas: New Developments in Middle East Peace Efforts

Jared Kushner, son-in-law of President Trump and a key negotiator on Middle East issues, engaged in discussions with Hamas leaders in Egypt on Sunday. The focus was on advancing a new U.S.-backed peace initiative aimed at disarming Hamas and establishing a transition plan to a new government.

A source familiar with the meeting revealed that concrete steps are being sought to implement the plan crafted by Mr. Trump’s international Board of Peace. These steps include upholding the ceasefire between Israel and Gaza, transferring governing duties to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, ensuring that Hamas does not retain a governing role, facilitating Israeli withdrawal, and deploying an international stabilizing force to the region.

The meeting in Egypt with Hamas’ Khalil al-Hayya was also validated by a regional official and a Hamas representative, both of whom requested anonymity due to a lack of authorization to speak to reporters. Last month, Mr. Trump announced that the Board of Peace had secured an agreement for the complete disarmament of Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza.

Despite this, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently rejected the peace plan, vowing not to withdraw military forces until Hamas is fully disarmed. Kushner’s earlier meeting on Sunday with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi involved discussions on implementing the Gaza ceasefire agreement. He plans to meet with Netanyahu in Israel on Monday.

A source stressed that moving forward requires no ambiguity: Hamas must hand over its governing authority, weapons, and military infrastructure to prevent Gaza from posing a terror threat to Israel.

In response to Israel’s rejection of the road map, several regional powers, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, condemned the decision, asserting that Israel now shoulders the responsibility for hindering peace in Gaza. The statement, signed by countries like Jordan, Pakistan, and Indonesia, called for immediate measures by the Board of Peace and the U.S. to ensure no party obstructs the plan.

According to the 15-point U.S.-backed plan, as disarmament proceeds, Israeli troops would withdraw from Gaza areas. This was reinforced by Mr. Trump in a Truth Social post, highlighting the role of an International Stabilization Force and a new Palestinian police force in maintaining security.

The conflict between Israel and Hamas erupted following Hamas’ attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. Since the ceasefire in October 2025, Israel has continued military actions on Gaza, resulting in over 1,200 deaths, as reported by the Hamas-managed Palestinian Health Ministry.