Kushner meets Netanyahu to revive stalled Gaza peace plan

The meeting came a day after Kushner held talks in Cairo with Hamas representatives, including senior leader Khalil Al-Hayya, marking

US President Donald Trump’s envoy and son-in-law Jared Kushner met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Monday as Washington stepped up efforts to revive its stalled plan for ending the Gaza war.

The meeting came a day after Kushner held talks in Cairo with Hamas representatives, including senior leader Khalil Al-Hayya, marking his second known direct engagement with the Palestinian group. Kushner was accompanied in Jerusalem by Trump’s Board of Peace envoy for Gaza, Nickolay Mladenov.

The latest diplomatic push comes amid deep disagreements over the implementation of the US-backed Gaza plan. Under the proposal, Hamas and other armed groups would surrender their weapons while Israeli forces would gradually withdraw from Gaza. An international stabilisation force, alongside a new Palestinian police force, would then help maintain security in the territory.

Netanyahu, however, has insisted that Israeli troops will not withdraw until Hamas and other armed groups are fully disarmed. Israel has also rejected a separate US-backed roadmap aimed at moving the broader peace plan forward.

Diplomats say Israel is unlikely to make major concessions on Gaza ahead of the country’s October 27 election, adding another challenge to Washington’s efforts to break the deadlock.

The talks have gained urgency as implementation of the ceasefire framework remains limited, with Israeli strikes continuing in Gaza despite commitments under the US plan. Hamas has said it accepts the proposed disarmament framework but argues that its implementation depends on Israel fulfilling its own obligations, including withdrawing forces and ending attacks.

Kushner previously met Hamas officials alongside US envoy Steve Witkoff in October 2025. Those discussions helped produce an agreement that led to a Gaza ceasefire and the release of hostages captured during the October 7, 2023 attack.

The latest meetings suggest Washington is seeking to reopen negotiations and bridge the widening gap between Israel and Hamas before the Gaza peace initiative loses further momentum.