Trump’s Envoy Kushner Arrives in Israel as Gaza Peace Efforts Intensify

US President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Jared Kushner, has arrived in Israel for talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, following rare discussions with Hamas over the implementation of a US-backed peace plan for Gaza. Kushner’s visit comes after a meeting in Egypt with a Hamas delegation led by its leader Khalil al-Hayya. The talks reportedly focused on key issues including Hamas’s disarmament, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and humanitarian assistance. The US-backed 15-point plan calls for the disarmament of Hamas, an Israeli military withdrawal and the reconstruct

US President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Jared Kushner, has arrived in Israel for talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, following rare discussions with Hamas over the implementation of a US-backed peace plan for Gaza. Kushner’s visit comes after a meeting in Egypt with a Hamas delegation led by its leader Khalil al-Hayya. The talks reportedly focused on key issues including Hamas’s disarmament, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and humanitarian assistance. The US-backed 15-point plan calls for the disarmament of Hamas, an Israeli military withdrawal and the reconstruction of Gaza under a new civilian Palestinian administration. However, Netanyahu’s government has rejected the proposal in its current form, insisting that Hamas must first be fully disarmed. The rejection has created further pressure on the peace process. Eight Muslim-majority countries, including Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Türkiye, Pakistan and Indonesia, have criticised Israel’s decision, warning that it could undermine efforts to end the conflict. Kushner is expected to meet Netanyahu alongside other Trump administration peace envoys, including Nickolay Mladenov and former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, in an effort to find a way forward. The talks come as the humanitarian situation in Gaza remains severe. Despite a ceasefire that began in October last year, Israeli strikes have continued, with both Israel and Hamas accusing each other of violating the agreement. The latest diplomatic push could become a crucial test for Trump’s efforts to secure a lasting peace in Gaza, but major disagreements over Hamas’s disarmament and Israel’s military withdrawal remain unresolved.