Jared Kushner Holds Rare Meeting with Hamas Leaders Pressing for Immediate Disarmament

Jared Kushner, former US President Donald Trump's special envoy, met with senior Hamas officials in Egypt on Sunday, marking their first direct contact since the October ceasefire agreement in Gaza. During the meeting, Kushner exerted significant pressure on Hamas representatives to immediately begin disarming, according to sources involved in the process. The meeting also included Nikolay Mladenov, UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, and former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, all collaborating on a US-led effort to establish a new political and security arrangement in the region as part of Trump's comprehensive peace plan.

This unusual meeting comes amid intense White House and UN efforts to advance both Hamas and Israel toward the next critical phase of the American peace initiative. The plan, unveiled last month by Trump, outlines 20 detailed points for reshaping Gaza, including Hamas's full disarmament and transferring all civilian and security authority to a new technocratic Palestinian government. It also contemplates possible Israeli territorial withdrawals, posing complex political challenges for Jerusalem.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government remain highly skeptical about the feasibility of the US plan and Hamas's willingness to comply. Despite earlier phone conversations with Kushner in which Netanyahu promised to restrain military actions in Gaza to allow the process to proceed, he has publicly expressed reservations about the disarmament framework. The issue is particularly sensitive given Israel's approaching elections and Netanyahu's precarious political standing, as well as strained relations between him and Trump.

Kushner, Mladenov, and Blair are expected to travel to Israel soon to meet Netanyahu and coordinate the next steps. US officials emphasize a cautious, deliberate approach to ensure each phase is carefully implemented, believing the current plan is preferable to any alternatives. Kushner recently hinted at potential further diplomatic breakthroughs in the region, referencing the Abraham Accords in a detailed statement.