Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump's envoy and son-in-law, met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday after holding talks with Hamas leaders. Kushner is attempting to revive a Gaza peace plan that Israel has so far rejected. This meeting follows Hamas's endorsement of the latest stage of Trump's Gaza plan two weeks ago, a plan Netanyahu has refused to support, insisting any settlement must ensure Hamas is 'genuinely disarmed'.
A diplomatic official confirmed to AFP that the meeting in Jerusalem had begun late Monday morning. Kushner met Hamas's new leader Khalil al-Hayya in the Egyptian Mediterranean city of El-Alamein on Sunday. During these discussions, Kushner demanded that Hamas verify it is giving up its weapons and renounce any future role in governing the Palestinian territory. These demands are key sticking points for Netanyahu, especially given Hamas's attack against Israel on October 7, 2023, which launched the Gaza war.
Netanyahu is expected to meet behind closed doors with Kushner, who has long family connections with the Israeli leader, as well as Nickolay Mladenov, the high representative for Gaza on Trump's 'Board of Peace' implementing the plan. Israeli media reported that former UK prime minister Tony Blair, now a senior Board of Peace official, would also attend. A Hamas official said the group told Kushner it was committed to the Gaza plan and wanted pressure on Netanyahu to adhere to the roadmap agreement.
The Trump administration has become increasingly comfortable with engaging directly with Hamas in the hope of ending the devastating conflict. This engagement negotiated the October ceasefire agreement that led to the release of remaining Israeli hostages. Netanyahu, who is facing elections in October, has increasingly been willing to defy Trump, whose support he once highlighted in his campaign. The prime minister has also made clear his unhappiness with Trump's decision to halt the US-Israeli war on Iran and instead pursue a settlement with Tehran's clerical leaders.
Despite Mladenov assuring Netanyahu that Israel would not need to withdraw until a full disarmament by Hamas, the prime minister rejected the Gaza plan last week and vowed not to pull troops from the Palestinian territory. This stance has drawn condemnation from eight Muslim-majority countries, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates, who issued a joint statement condemning Israel's rejection of the Gaza plan.
Israel has resumed airstrikes in Gaza after a lull following Trump's promotion of the peace plan, although the October ceasefire had never fully halted the violence in the Strip. According to figures by Gaza's health ministry, which is under Hamas, Israeli operations have killed at least 1,265 Palestinians since the ceasefire came into effect on October 10. The Israeli army has reported five deaths in its ranks during Gaza operations over the same period.
The ongoing conflict and Kushner's efforts to revive the peace plan have significant implications for international relations and regional stability. For Bangladesh, which has a significant diaspora in the Middle East and maintains diplomatic relations with both Israel and Palestine, the situation underscores the complexities of Middle Eastern politics and the challenges of achieving lasting peace in the region.
