In brief
Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy Jared Kushner held a lengthy meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, following his high‑level talks with Hamas. The Israeli office said construction in Gaza will halt until Hamas disarms, while the Board of Peace aims to enforce debris destruction and public‑health measures. Hamas insists on a phased Israeli pull‑out tied to full weapon removal. Despite Netanyahu’s reluctance to abandon the 15‑point Gaza plan, the Board seeks to push Israeli leadership toward a pragmatic route. Tensions remain high as the Israel Defence Forces continue daily strikes amid a ceasefire still in place.
Kushner meets Netanyahu after Hamas talks on peace plan
Jared Kushner, the former senior adviser to former U.S.
President Donald Trump, sat down with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
Monday to discuss the stalled U.S.
backed Gaza peace plan – following a private meeting with Hamas leaders on
Sunday that became the highest‑level dialogue since the September 2023 cease-
fire. The Israeli office added that the two sides agreed there would be no
reconstruction in Gaza until Hamas was fully disarmed.
The Board of Peace – a U.S.
formed international council – aims to fast‑track a plan that sees Israeli troops
withdraw in phases as the Hamas armed wing gives up its weapons. Israel insists
that all weapons be destroyed, not stored by a Palestinian committee, to
prevent a return to war.
Kushner’s visit was
accompanied by Board members Nickolay Mladenov and former UK prime
minister Tony Blair, who met the prime minister earlier that day. The
meeting also featured representatives of Egypt, Qatar and Turkey, key
mediators of the peace effort.
Netanyahu’s office said the
two sides had “deep and constructive discussions” and agreed to set up
work‑groups focusing on disarmament and the public‑health needs of Gazan
infrastructure. Hamas, meanwhile, pushed the Board to compel Israel to
adopt the roadmap, while the U.S. weighed whether the plan could still be
enforced after Netanyahu’s rejection of the 15‑point plan last week.
Israel’s
Defence Forces reported that the day after the ceasefire announcement a
few days ago, the army was still conducting daily strikes in Gaza, with
survivor accounts tallying more than 1,200 dead since the 2023 offensive.
Critics point to a growing rift within Netanyahu’s coalition, where the
far‑right National Security Minister Itamar Ben‑Gvir openly called for
targeted eliminations of Ghanic residents. The future of the peace plan now
rests on whether Netanyahu can be persuaded to move forward with a
gradual withdrawal before Hamas fully disarms.
