Kushner Meets Netanyahu in an Attempt to Advance the U.S. Peace Plan in Gaza
“Jared Kushner”, son-in-law of U.S. President “Donald Trump” and his special envoy, is meeting today, Monday, Israeli Prime Minister “Benjamin Netanyahu” in Israel as part of U.S. efforts to advance the Gaza Strip-related peace strategy toward implementation, despite the continued Israeli rejection of some of its provisions.
“Kushner’s” visit comes at a time when the U.S. plan is facing reservations from the Israeli side, particularly regarding the disarmament of Hamas and the mechanism for implementing Israeli withdrawals from the Strip, two of the main issues hindering the transition to the next phase of the agreement.
“Kushner” met yesterday, Sunday, with leaders from Hamas in Egypt, before heading to Israel, in a move reflecting the intensification of U.S. contacts with the parties concerned in an effort to overcome the obstacles preventing the implementation of the second phase of the peace plan.
Hamas had agreed in late July to a U.S. roadmap aimed at launching the second phase of the plan, which includes the disarmament of the movement and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip. However, “Netanyahu” officially rejected the document, stressing his insistence on the need for Hamas to be disarmed «genuinely».
Hamas Calls for the Implementation of Israeli Commitments
Hamas has administered the Gaza Strip since 2007, but it announced in early July the dissolution of its civil administration and expressed its readiness to transfer responsibility for administering the Strip to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, a body established by the «Board of Peace» and comprising Palestinian technical personnel, which assumed the task of overseeing the transitional phase in the Strip.
Following its meeting with “Kushner”, Hamas announced that it had called on the mediators and the «Board of Peace» to assume their responsibilities and pressure Israel to fulfill its commitments during the first phase of the agreement.
The movement called for an end to what it described as «violations», and for a halt to killing and incursions, in addition to approving the roadmap for the second phase of President “Trump’s” strategy and beginning to establish a clear timetable for its implementation.
Before meeting with Hamas officials, “Kushner” held a series of contacts with regional parties involved in mediation, meeting representatives from Egypt, Qatar, and Türkiye, along with “Nikolay Mladenov”, the senior representative for Gaza affairs at the «Board of Peace» formed by “Trump” to oversee the implementation of the agreement, according to «Cairo» News Channel.
“Kushner” also met Egyptian President “Abdel Fattah El-Sisi” on Sunday in the city of El Alamein, while Hamas Political Bureau Chief “Khalil Al-Hayya” met with Egyptian Intelligence Chief “Hassan Rashad”.
U.S. Move Amid Regional Pressure
These contacts come in the context of a relative shift in the U.S. position toward Hamas, after the United States had refused for years to engage in any contacts with it. However, the “Trump” administration has shown greater openness to direct communication in an attempt to end the ongoing war in Gaza.
The «Board of Peace» announced on Friday that “Kushner would visit” Israel during the week accompanied by “Mladenov” following the conclusion of his visit to Egypt.
Coinciding with the U.S. move, eight Islamic countries, including Egypt, Qatar, and Türkiye, condemned Israel’s rejection of the latest roadmap, considering that the Israeli position is «fundamentally undermining the collective efforts aimed at achieving a just and lasting peace».
Hamas and Israel continue to exchange accusations of violating the ceasefire agreement concluded last October, amid continued tension inside the Strip, which suffered extensive destruction during the war that erupted following Hamas’s unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
The Kushner-Netanyahu meeting comes at a time when Washington is seeking to bring the positions of the two sides closer regarding the most sensitive issues, foremost among them the disarmament of Hamas and the Israeli withdrawal, in a way that would allow the second phase of the U.S. plan to begin, amid increasing regional pressure to push for the implementation of the agreement.
United News Network – UNN Arabic
An independent media platform that provides reliable news and objective analysis, and seeks to promote peace and cultural dialogue around the world, to convey the truth and build bridges of understanding among peoples.
For more news, you can visit our homepage:
Author’s Name: Consultant Faisal Al-Mutairi.
Publication Date: August 17, 2026.
Updated: August 2026.
