U.S. Middle East envoy Jared Kushner held an hourslong meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday as Washington intensified efforts to revive a stalled Gaza ceasefire and disarmament plan.
The meeting came a day after Kushner spent about two hours in Cairo with Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya, in a rare direct engagement aimed at advancing the U.S.-backed roadmap for ending the conflict. Officials from Egypt, Qatar and Turkey were also involved in the discussions.
Disarmament Remains the Key Dispute
The U.S.-backed 15-point roadmap calls for Hamas to disarm in phases in exchange for a gradual Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza, followed by reconstruction and the establishment of a Palestinian technocratic administration.
Hamas has indicated support for the roadmap but has demanded an end to Israeli attacks and an Israeli withdrawal to the so-called “yellow line” before implementation. Netanyahu, meanwhile, has insisted that Hamas must be completely disarmed before Israel withdraws from Gaza. Israeli forces currently control roughly 60% of the territory, according to the Associated Press.
Working Groups Planned
Netanyahu’s office said Israel and the U.S.-created Board of Peace agreed to establish two working groups: one focused on Hamas’ disarmament and the demilitarization of Gaza, and another dealing with public health.
Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Board of Peace Director Nickolay Mladenov also took part in the meeting, according to officials familiar with the talks.
No Final Breakthrough Yet
The discussions were described by a Board of Peace official as lengthy, substantive and productive, with agreement on a possible path forward. However, later reporting indicated that the meetings ended without a definitive breakthrough, with major differences over Hamas’ disarmament and Israeli withdrawal still unresolved.
The diplomatic push comes as regional governments, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, have increased pressure on Israel and the United States to prevent further escalation and move toward implementation of the ceasefire roadmap.
The outcome of the talks could determine whether negotiations move toward a broader ceasefire, humanitarian relief and reconstruction or whether fighting and political deadlock continue in Gaza.
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