Kushner Holds Talks with Hamas in Egypt as US Demands Concrete Steps on Disarmament
World
US presidential adviser Jared Kushner held talks with Hamas representatives in Egypt on August 16 over the implementation of President Donald Trump’s peace plan for the Gaza Strip. Washington urged the group to move beyond declarations of commitment and take concrete steps toward disarmament.
The Hamas delegation was led by Khalil al-Hayya. The talks were also attended by members of the “Board of Peace” established by Trump, including Bulgarian diplomat Nikolay Mladenov and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, as well as representatives of Egypt, Qatar and Türkiye. According to Axios and AFP, the meeting lasted around 90 minutes.
The discussions reportedly covered Hamas disarmament, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and humanitarian assistance. Hamas representatives reaffirmed their commitment to the agreements and called on mediators to pressure Israel to implement the conditions of the plan’s first phase and agree to a roadmap for the second phase.
Israel’s position remains one of the main obstacles to implementation. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli forces would not withdraw from Gaza until Hamas is fully disarmed. Israel has also rejected the 15-point plan proposed by the “Board of Peace” in its current form.
Against the backdrop of the talks, the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Pakistan, Indonesia, Qatar, Türkiye and the United Arab Emirates criticized Israel’s position on the proposed framework for peace in Gaza.
No official statement on the outcome of Kushner’s meeting with Hamas had been issued at the time of publication.
The discussions reportedly covered Hamas disarmament, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and humanitarian assistance. Hamas representatives reaffirmed their commitment to the agreements and called on mediators to pressure Israel to implement the conditions of the plan’s first phase and agree to a roadmap for the second phase.
Israel’s position remains one of the main obstacles to implementation. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli forces would not withdraw from Gaza until Hamas is fully disarmed. Israel has also rejected the 15-point plan proposed by the “Board of Peace” in its current form.
Against the backdrop of the talks, the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Pakistan, Indonesia, Qatar, Türkiye and the United Arab Emirates criticized Israel’s position on the proposed framework for peace in Gaza.
No official statement on the outcome of Kushner’s meeting with Hamas had been issued at the time of publication.
Powered by Froala Editor