US Special Envoy Jared Kushner is expected to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday (17/8) in a renewed American push to revive Donald Trump’s peace plan for Gaza. The meeting comes two weeks after Hamas accepted the final phase of the American proposal — a plan Netanyahu has so far refused to endorse, insisting that any agreement must guarantee the “genuine disarmament” of the Palestinian organization.
Kushner and Netanyahu’s critical meeting: Trump’s Gaza plan takes center stage
Kushner, who is the US President’s son-in-law, held talks on Sunday in the Egyptian city of El Alamein with Hamas’s new leader, Khalil al-Hayya, according to sources familiar with the discussions who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity. During the talks, Kushner urged Hamas to take “concrete steps” while conveying — according to one of the sources — the message that “Gaza can never again be a source of terrorism against Israel.”
Another source indicated that Hamas reaffirmed its commitment to the plan. In a statement following the talks, Hamas called on mediators and Trump’s so-called “Peace Council” to pressure Israel into approving the roadmap and establishing a timeline for its implementation.
Pressure from Arab and Muslim nations
Regional powers also applied diplomatic pressure on Israel on Sunday. Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey — the three primary regional mediators — along with Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, and Indonesia, jointly condemned Israel’s rejection of the plan.
In a joint statement, these countries argued that “Israel bears direct and full responsibility” for obstructing the peace process, warning that its refusal threatens to derail Trump’s broader diplomatic efforts.
Israel’s response
Israel’s response was swift, with Netanyahu’s Likud party accusing the Arab nations of trying to “bring down the prime minister” ahead of upcoming elections. Notably, the UAE — which normalized relations with Israel five years ago, opening a significant economic and strategic partnership that Netanyahu considers one of his government’s greatest achievements — was among the signatories of the joint statement.
Hamas disarmament remains the key sticking point
Netanyahu continues to oppose the American plan, even after receiving assurances that Israel would not be required to withdraw its forces from Gaza prior to the full surrender of Hamas’s weapons.
Nikolai Mladenov, the senior representative of the “Peace Council” for Gaza, reportedly delivered specific assurances to the Israeli side. The Council had initially announced that any Israeli withdrawal would occur gradually and in parallel with Hamas’s disarmament. As a result, the disagreement over disarmament remains one of the most significant obstacles to implementing the plan.
Fresh Israeli strikes on Gaza
Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes on Gaza continue, despite a period of relative calm that followed the advancement of Trump’s peace initiative. The October ceasefire, however, had not brought a complete halt to violence in the Strip.
On Sunday, several people were wounded when Israeli aircraft struck a residence west of Nuseirat, according to Mahmoud Basal, a spokesperson for Gaza’s Civil Defense service, which operates under Hamas. The Israeli military stated that the strike was carried out in response to a threat posed by Islamic Jihad fighters, adding that measures were taken to minimize civilian casualties. As the Israeli military stated: “Terrorists carried out attacks and were struck with targeted airstrikes to eliminate the threat.”
Additionally, others were wounded when Israeli forces opened fire on tents housing displaced people west of Khan Younis. In the same area, the Civil Defense service announced the discovery of the body of a child, Suhail Salouf, who had been killed by Israeli fire on Saturday.
At least 1,262 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire began on October 10, according to data from Gaza’s Hamas-run Health Ministry — figures the United Nations considers reliable. The Israeli military, for its part, has reported five soldiers killed during the same period.
With information from Agence France-Presse
