Kushner to hold talks with Netanyahu after rare meeting with Hamas

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is due to meet Donald Trump’s envoy and son-in-law Jared ​Kushner on Monday, a day after he held a rare ‌meeting with Hamas officials in Cairo, in a bid to push forward the US president’s Gaza peace plan.

A diplomatic source said Hamas leader ​Khalil Al-Hayya was present at some of the meetings ​that mediators held with Kushner and Trump’s Board ⁠of Peace envoy for Gaza, Nickolay Mladenov, in Cairo on ​Sunday.

It marks Kushner’s second known meeting with representatives of Hamas, ​the Palestinian group designated a terrorist movement by the United States.

Kushner previously met Hamas officials alongside US envoy Steve Witkoff in October ​2025, helping clinch a deal that led to a ​ceasefire in Gaza and the release of remaining hostages seized by Hamas ‌in ⁠the October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel.

Trump said in late July a deal was reached for the complete disarmament of Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza.

But Netanyahu, who is ​seeking re-election at ​a vote ⁠due in October, has publicly rejected Trump’s plan.

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Trump had said the deal would be carried ​out in phases, with Israeli forces withdrawing from ​Gaza ⁠as disarmament proceeded and an International Stabilization Force working with a new Palestinian police force to secure the enclave.

Hamas has said ⁠it ​agreed to the plan but the ​deal’s implementation would depend on Israel first meeting its own commitments, including withdrawal ​and halting attacks.