Kushner holds rare meeting with Hamas leaders, pushes for major Gaza concession
WASHINGTON, DC: In a very rare development, President Donald Trump’s envoy and son-in-law Jared Kushner met Hamas leaders in Egypt on Sunday, August 16, to push the group to give up arms to fulfill the disarmament commitment.
Hamas agreed in principle to a phased roadmap for its complete disarmament under a proposal backed by the US-led Board of Peace.
Trump envoy meets Hamas leaders before Netanyahu meeting
Jared Kushner’s unusual meeting with Hamas leaders comes against the backdrop of the White House and Trump's Board of Peace pushing both Hamas and Israel to move to the next phase of the US 20-point peace plan.
It was Kushner's first meeting with Hamas leaders since the signing of the agreement to end the war in Gaza last October.
The Axios report, citing sources, revealed that after meeting Hamas leaders in Egypt, the US negotiator is expected to travel to Israel on Monday and meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss "corresponding steps" Israel must take.
On his trip to the Middle East, Kushner was joined by Board of Peace high representative Nickolay Mladenov and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Hamas political leader Khalil al-Hayya attended alongside Egyptian Intelligence Chief Hassan Rashad, Qatari diplomat Ali al-Thawadi and a senior Turkish official.
A source with knowledge of the meeting said the objective was "translating" Hamas' obligations to demilitarize Gaza "into concrete, verifiable steps."
The source said the steps to maintain the Gaza ceasefire include handing over governing powers to a Palestinian technocratic government and keeping Hamas out of Gaza’s future administration.
What the Board of Peace wants from Gaza and Israel
The Board of Peace was constituted to stop Israel’s hostilities against Gaza and reconstruct the Palestinian territory, which has been destroyed in Israeli attacks, Putting 2 million people in Gaza at risk.
The board wants Hamas to begin decommissioning weapons and military infrastructure, allow the International Stabilization Force to deploy, and facilitate Gaza's recovery and reconstruction without theft or intimidation of Palestinians involved in the efforts, the source said.
The board also wants Israel to conduct "corresponding withdrawals" in Gaza if Hamas starts disarming and to accelerate humanitarian relief to the enclave.
"There can be no ambiguity: Hamas must relinquish governing authority and all weapons and military infrastructure. And Gaza can never again be a source of alarm for Israel," the source said.
