Tel Aviv, Israel – Jared Kushner, son-in-law and special envoy of US President Donald Trump, is meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel today, Monday. This visit comes as part of the US administration’s persistent efforts to advance its peace plan for the Gaza Strip. However, the Israeli prime minister continues to reject the plan despite ongoing diplomatic pressure.
El Alamein meetings
This anticipated visit follows an intensive tour Kushner conducted on Sunday in Egypt. There, he held high-level meetings, beginning with a direct and productive meeting with leaders of Hamas. In addition, he held extensive talks with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in El Alamein, with the participation of representatives from mediating countries, including Qatar and Turkey. Nikolay Mladenov, the Special Representative for Gaza on the Middle East Peace Council established by the US President, also attended the meeting.
It is worth noting that Hamas announced in late July its acceptance of an American roadmap aimed at launching the second phase of the peace plan. The plan stipulates the disarmament of the movement and the complete withdrawal of the Israeli occupation army from the Gaza Strip. In contrast, Netanyahu officially rejected the document. However, he presented complex conditions and demanded what he described as the “genuine” disarmament of Hamas.
Completion of the disarmament process
Informed sources, who preferred to remain anonymous, reported that Kushner emphasized during his meeting with Hamas leadership on Sunday the necessity of completing the disarmament process. He also called for concrete and verifiable steps to be taken on the ground. He clearly stated that “Gaza will never again be a source of terrorism against Israel.” Furthermore, he stressed that the movement has no future role in governing the Gaza Strip.
Hamas, which has governed Gaza since 2007, took early transitional steps in early July by dissolving its civil administration and transferring responsibilities to the “National Committee for the Administration of Gaza.” This technical body was established by the Peace Council to oversee the transition. Following its meeting with Kushner, the movement called on the mediators and the Peace Council to compel Israel to implement its commitments under the first phase and to cease all violations, killings, and incursions. Furthermore, it demanded a timetable for implementing the second phase of the Trump plan.
