Gaza ceasefire talks: US push for peace gains momentum as Jared Kushner meets Hamas chief ahead of Netanyahu meeting
The meeting came days after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected a 15-point, US-backed roadmap aimed at advancing a ceasefire, Hamas disarmament and an Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza.Kushner, President Donald Trump's son-in-law, is expected to meet Netanyahu on Monday alongside former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Nickolay Mladenov, director of the US-created Board of Peace overseeing the ceasefire.Kushner meets Hamas leader in EgyptKushner's more than two-hour meeting with al-Hayya was confirmed by a regional official and a Hamas official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.The talks also included officials from Egypt, Qatar and Turkey, which have been involved in mediation efforts.The meeting focused on securing Hamas' commitment to the proposed roadmap, particularly its requirement to surrender its weapons, before Kushner's talks with Netanyahu, the regional official said.Hamas later called on mediators and the Board of Peace to “compel” Israel to approve the roadmap and move ahead with its implementation.The Hamas official said the group remained committed to the plan and was waiting for mediators to begin a 14-day negotiation period to establish a timetable for implementation.Hamas demands Israeli withdrawalHamas has said it wants Israel to halt attacks in Gaza and withdraw its forces to the so-called “yellow line” before implementation of the roadmap begins.The yellow line, which was established under the ceasefire arrangement, has never been precisely defined. Israeli forces have moved beyond it and currently control about 60% of Gaza, according to the report.The Hamas official said the group was prepared to discuss disarmament but wanted guarantees on Israel's withdrawal and an end to military operations.Under the proposed roadmap, Hamas would gradually hand over its weapons to a Palestinian technocratic committee tasked with running Gaza. The committee has yet to enter the territory.Hamas, however, has linked surrendering its heaviest weapons to the establishment of a Palestinian state — a demand opposed by Netanyahu's government.Netanyahu rejects US-backed roadmapNetanyahu's rejection of the 15-point proposal has created a rare public disagreement between the Israeli prime minister and the Trump administration.Under the plan, Hamas would give up its weapons while Israel would halt attacks and gradually withdraw from Gaza. The arrangement would also pave the way for reconstruction and the deployment of international forces to separate Israeli troops from areas controlled by the Palestinian committee.Netanyahu has maintained that Israel will not withdraw from any position in Gaza until Hamas has been completely disarmed.That position has effectively stalled other elements of the ceasefire plan.Regional powers accuse Israel of blocking peaceSaudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Pakistan, Indonesia and the ceasefire mediators were among countries that condemned Israel's rejection of the roadmap.In a joint statement, the countries said “Israel now bears responsibility for obstructing the efforts to bring peace in Gaza.”They urged the Board of Peace and the United States to take “immediate and concrete measures” to prevent any party from blocking implementation of the plan.The statement adds pressure on Netanyahu ahead of his meeting with Kushner and other US-backed mediators.Netanyahu faces political pressureNetanyahu is also facing domestic political challenges as he prepares for an October 27 election.His governing coalition includes ministers who have taken a hard-line position on Gaza, making any decision on an Israeli withdrawal politically difficult.The anniversary of the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack that triggered the war is also approaching.Netanyahu's Likud party rejected the c
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