Kushner meets Hamas leaders ahead of Netanyahu talks on Gaza plan

US envoy Jared Kushner is expected to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv on Monday after intense negotiation sessions in Cairo aimed at advancing the second phase of a ceasefire roadmap for Gaza.

Kushner, alongside Peace Commission Director General Nickolay Mladenov and former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, held a meeting lasting more than two hours with a Hamas delegation. Reuters, citing sources, reported that Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya headed the delegation.

The move marks a significant diplomatic development as Washington seeks to implement a 15-point roadmap for Gaza endorsed by President Trump's Peace Commission. However, Netanyahu has publicly rejected the framework, insisting Israeli forces will not withdraw until Hamas fully disarms, while Israel continues military operations in Gaza and expands settlements in the West Bank.

Why is Kushner meeting Hamas leaders?

The US officially designates Hamas as a terrorist organization, but has maintained unofficial channels of contact with the group, mainly through intermediaries. Analysts view the direct meeting between a US envoy and Hamas leadership as acknowledgment of political realities on the ground.

Mahjoob Zweiri, a Middle East political expert at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, said the meeting reflects an "American-style capitulation" to the reality that Hamas is a political force that cannot be ignored in Palestinian society. Despite Israel's efforts to sideline the group, Washington acknowledges Hamas as indispensable for any lasting solution.

Adel Shadid, an expert on Israeli affairs, described the direct talks in Cairo as a profound strategic shift that worries Israeli leadership. "There has been a change in the US stance toward Hamas. Washington now views Hamas not as a problem but as part of the solution," he said, stressing this contradicts one of the war's most important goals: eliminating Hamas both militarily and politically.

Agenda for Kushner's Netanyahu meeting

Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported that US officials are increasingly frustrated because Israel "is seeking to prolong time, introduce new reservations, and alter the sequence outlined in the roadmap." A source said Kushner "did not come to Israel for more diplomatic ping-pong but to finalize" the issues.

The US administration is expected to press Netanyahu to halt attacks in Gaza, withdraw forces to the "Gold Line," significantly increase humanitarian aid to the Palestinian territory, and facilitate the deployment of reconstruction and civilian governance mechanisms.

Significance for Trump

Analysts say Trump is increasingly eager to achieve a breakthrough in Gaza amid other foreign policy setbacks. "Iran did not go as he hoped, efforts to separate the Lebanon issue from the memorandum also failed. The only dossier that can yield a breakthrough and be counted as a foreign policy victory now is Gaza," said Zweiri.

Eight Arab and Muslim countries—Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Qatar, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Turkey—issued a joint statement condemning Israel's rejection of the roadmap, accusing it of delaying efforts to end the war in Gaza. The statement warned that refusing the framework "constitutes an explicit refusal to proceed with the Comprehensive Plan and directly threatens to derail President Trump's considerable efforts to end the war in Gaza."

Key dispute in the 15-point roadmap

The central dispute revolves around the sequence of implementing obligations in the plan. The framework calls for a phased approach including cessation of military operations, gradual disarmament and weapons storage, Israeli withdrawal, and deployment of an International Stabilization Force in coordination with a Palestinian technocratic government.

Hamas confirmed acceptance of the roadmap at Cairo meetings but stressed implementation depends on Israel fulfilling prior commitments and halting violations of the ceasefire that took effect last October. Since the ceasefire took effect, Israeli attacks have killed at least 1,260 Palestinians in Gaza.

Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said the Cairo talks focused on making intermediaries and the Peace Commission clearly see Israel's violations, emphasizing that any progress requires Israel to adhere to the agreed roadmap. Meanwhile, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, after meeting Kushner, reiterated the demand that all parties respect commitments under the Sharm el-Sheikh peace framework of October 2025.