By Daily Touch Insights Editorial Team
Editorial Team
View Journalist Profile
WORLD POLITICS & MIDDLE EAST — U.S. envoy Jared Kushner met with Hamas leaders in Egypt as Washington pushed to revive a stalled Gaza peace plan ahead of Kushner's expected talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The meeting on Sunday marked a rare direct engagement between Kushner and Hamas leadership and came at a critical point in negotiations over the future of Gaza.
Kushner's diplomatic mission is aimed at moving the U.S.-backed roadmap forward after Netanyahu rejected key elements of the proposal, particularly the issue of Hamas disarmament and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
The discussions have placed Kushner in the difficult position of trying to bridge major disagreements between Hamas and the Israeli government while Washington seeks to preserve the broader ceasefire framework.
Kushner Meets Hamas Leaders in Egypt
Kushner held talks with Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya in Egypt as part of a wider diplomatic effort involving regional mediators.
The meeting focused on the proposed Gaza roadmap and the conditions required to move toward its next phase.
Hamas has indicated its willingness to engage with the plan, while also demanding that Israel fulfil its obligations under the ceasefire arrangement.
The talks were therefore focused not simply on whether there should be a peace process, but on how its most difficult provisions could actually be implemented.
Netanyahu Has Rejected Key Parts of the Plan
The diplomatic effort faces a major obstacle in Jerusalem.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected the U.S.-backed roadmap in its current form.
Netanyahu has argued that Israel cannot withdraw its forces from Gaza until Hamas is fully disarmed.
That position conflicts with Hamas's demands and creates one of the central disagreements surrounding the proposed agreement.
The question of which side should act first has become one of the biggest barriers to implementation.
The 15-Point Plan
The U.S.-backed proposal contains a series of measures intended to move Gaza from a ceasefire toward a longer-term political and security arrangement.
Among its major elements are Hamas disarmament, Israeli military withdrawals, the establishment of a new civilian administration and international efforts to stabilise and rebuild Gaza.
The proposal also seeks to prevent Hamas from maintaining a governing role in Gaza.
These provisions would represent a major transformation of the political and security structure of the territory.
Hamas Faces Pressure to Give Up Its Weapons
One of the most difficult elements of the plan is the demand for Hamas to surrender its weapons and military infrastructure.
Hamas has historically maintained that its armed wing is necessary to resist Israeli military control.
The U.S.-backed proposal, however, requires the group to move toward complete disarmament as part of a broader political settlement.
For the plan to succeed, Hamas would therefore have to accept a fundamental change in its role in Gaza.
Hamas Would Also Lose Its Governing Role
The proposed roadmap goes beyond disarmament.
It calls for governing responsibilities in Gaza to be transferred to a new Palestinian civilian administration.
This would prevent Hamas from continuing to function as the territory's governing authority.
The proposal would instead place responsibility for civilian administration in the hands of a new structure intended to oversee Gaza's recovery and reconstruction.
That transition could become one of the most complicated parts of the agreement.
Israel Would Be Expected to Withdraw
In return for Hamas disarmament and changes to Gaza's governance, the plan calls for Israeli forces to withdraw from parts of the territory.
The timing and extent of that withdrawal remain major points of disagreement.
Israel has insisted that its security concerns must be addressed before it accepts a complete military withdrawal.
Hamas and several regional governments, meanwhile, have demanded that Israel fulfil its obligations under the ceasefire and allow the peace process to advance.
Egypt Plays an Important Role
Egypt has emerged as one of the key countries involved in the diplomatic effort.
Kushner met Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi during his visit, while Egyptian officials continued discussions with Hamas representatives.
Egypt has historically played an important role in negotiations involving Israel and Palestinian groups because of its geographic position and relationships with the parties involved.
Cairo's participation could therefore be essential to any agreement that requires monitoring, security arrangements or humanitarian access.
Other Regional Powers Are Pressuring Israel
The diplomatic pressure is not coming from Washington alone.
Several Arab countries and other regional governments have criticised Israel's rejection of the proposed roadmap.
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Pakistan and Indonesia were among the countries calling for the peace process to continue.
Their involvement demonstrates that the Gaza negotiations have developed into a broader regional diplomatic issue.
The Ceasefire Remains Fragile
Although a ceasefire framework remains in place, violence and military activity have continued to threaten the wider peace process.
That creates an additional challenge for negotiators.
A political agreement cannot easily advance if fighting continues to undermine trust between the parties.
Every new military incident can strengthen opponents of the agreement and make compromise more difficult.
Kushner's Meeting With Netanyahu Comes Next
After meeting Hamas and Egyptian officials, Kushner is expected to travel to Israel for talks with Netanyahu.
The meeting could be one of the most important stages of the current diplomatic effort.
Kushner will need to explain the U.S. position while addressing Israel's concerns over security and Hamas's military capabilities.
Netanyahu, meanwhile, faces pressure from both his domestic political supporters and international partners.
Why Netanyahu's Position Matters
Israel's approval is essential for the roadmap to move forward.
Even if Hamas accepts the proposal, implementation would remain difficult without Israeli agreement on military withdrawals and security arrangements.
Netanyahu's government has repeatedly emphasised that Hamas cannot retain the ability to launch attacks against Israel.
That makes disarmament one of the central conditions for any long-term agreement.
Why Hamas's Position Matters
Hamas also faces a major strategic decision.
Accepting disarmament and surrendering its governing role would fundamentally change the organisation's position in Gaza.
At the same time, continuing to reject the proposal could prolong the political and humanitarian crisis.
The organisation therefore faces pressure to determine whether it can obtain sufficient guarantees in exchange for accepting the roadmap.
The Reconstruction of Gaza Is Another Challenge
Even if the political and security disagreements are resolved, rebuilding Gaza would represent an enormous undertaking.
Years of conflict have caused extensive destruction and displaced large numbers of Palestinians.
Reconstruction would require significant international financing, infrastructure development and long-term political stability.
International donors would also need confidence that new investments would not be destroyed by another cycle of conflict.
A New Administration Could Change Gaza's Future
The proposed transition away from Hamas rule represents one of the most significant elements of the plan.
A civilian Palestinian administration could potentially take responsibility for public services, infrastructure and day-to-day governance.
However, establishing such an administration would require legitimacy among Palestinians and cooperation from Israel and international partners.
Without broad acceptance, the new system could struggle to function effectively.
The International Stabilisation Question
The roadmap also envisions international involvement in Gaza's security arrangements.
An international stabilisation force could potentially help maintain order while new Palestinian security structures are established.
However, deploying foreign forces would raise difficult questions about their mandate, command structure and relationship with Israel and Palestinian authorities.
The details would need to be agreed before such a force could operate effectively.
The Biggest Problem Is Trust
Behind almost every disagreement in the negotiations is a deeper problem: trust.
Israel does not trust Hamas to remain disarmed if Israeli forces withdraw.
Hamas does not trust Israel to withdraw and end military operations if Hamas gives up its weapons.
Palestinians also want guarantees that reconstruction and civilian life will be allowed to proceed without another major military campaign.
Those competing fears make implementation much more difficult than simply signing a document.
What Kushner Is Trying to Achieve
Kushner's mission is essentially to turn a broad political proposal into a sequence of concrete commitments.
Each side needs to know what it will receive and what it must surrender.
Hamas is being asked to accept disarmament and leave government.
Israel is being asked to withdraw forces and support a new political arrangement.
The United States and regional mediators must then provide enough guarantees to persuade both sides that the agreement will actually be implemented.
The Road Ahead Remains Uncertain
The meetings in Egypt and Israel could produce progress, but there is no guarantee of a final agreement.
The disagreements are substantial and involve issues that have remained unresolved throughout the conflict.
Even if negotiators reach a political understanding, implementation could take months or longer.
The success of the process will ultimately depend on whether the parties are willing to make difficult concessions.
Our Perspective
Kushner's meeting with Hamas is significant because direct engagement between U.S. officials and Hamas leadership remains highly sensitive.
But the meeting should not be mistaken for proof that a final peace agreement is close.
The fundamental disagreements remain enormous.
Hamas must decide whether it is prepared to surrender its military capabilities and governing role, while Israel must decide whether it can accept a process that ultimately requires its forces to withdraw from Gaza.
The real test is not whether Kushner can bring Hamas and Israel into the same diplomatic process. It is whether he can persuade both sides to accept the painful compromises required to make that process work.
Conclusion
Jared Kushner's meeting with Hamas leaders in Egypt marks a significant new effort by the United States to revive a stalled Gaza peace roadmap.
The meeting came ahead of Kushner's expected talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has rejected the proposed plan in its current form.
The roadmap calls for Hamas to disarm, surrender its governing role and allow a new Palestinian civilian administration to take responsibility for Gaza, while Israel would gradually withdraw its forces.
Those demands remain deeply contested, making the next round of negotiations particularly important.
Kushner's diplomatic mission could become a major step toward a new Gaza settlement — but turning the proposed roadmap into reality will require both Hamas and Israel to accept compromises neither side has yet fully embraced.
