In brief
In a rare diplomatic move, U.S. envoy Jared Kushner convened with Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya in Egypt to discuss steps toward the U.S. back‑ed Gaza peace plan. The meeting, attended by former U.K. PM Tony Blair and other mediator delegates, came on the heels of Israel’s refusal to accept the plan, which calls for full disarmament of Hamas and a withdrawal of Israeli forces. Eight Muslim‑majority states issued a joint statement condemning Israel’s decision, intensifying pressure on the parties. The ceasefire remains in place but clashes continue as Israeli forces carry out strikes, while humanitarian aid efforts seek to rebuild Gaza’s shattered infrastructure.
Donald Trump’s son‑in‑law visits Hamas in Egypt
US President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy Jared Kushner has held a rare face‑to‑face meeting with Hamas leader Khalil al‑Hayya in Cairo. The discussion, reported by a Palestinian official, aimed to advance the U.S. Board of Peace’s Gaza plan, which calls for the complete disarmament of Hamas and a pending withdrawal of Israeli troops.
The Board of Peace, originally set up to bring peace to Gaza, now pursues conflicts worldwide and was created by Trump personally. The meeting marked the first collaboration at such a high level since the Gaza ceasefire was declared in October the previous year.
Attendees reportedly included Board of Peace envoys Nickolai Mladenov and former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, as well as key representatives from Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey—countries that have long mediated in Middle East peace efforts.
Official statements are still pending, but reports suggest that talks focused on concrete actions for weapons decommissioning, Israeli troop withdrawal, and humanitarian assistance for Gaza’s displaced population.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who rejected the Board’s 15‑point document, demanded that Hamas be fully disarmed before any withdrawal. Eight Muslim‑majority states issued a joint statement condemning Israel’s decision as a threat to the U.S. peace endeavour.
The Gaza Strip remains under a ceasefire that was reinstated on 10 October last year; however, Israeli forces have conducted several airstrikes in the past weeks, citing violations of the truce. According to Gaza’s health ministry—validated by the UN—more than 73,000 people have been killed since the war began, while the UN estimates that around 1.9 million residents (about 90% of Gaza’s population) have been displaced.
Kushner’s meeting in Egypt was followed by a separate sitting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al‑Sisi, and he is expected to meet with Israeli leader Netanyahu on Monday to push the plan forward.
UN estimates about 1.9 million displaced since the war began.
