U.S. envoy Jared Kushner met with Hamas political chief Khalil al-Hayya in Egypt on Sunday to discuss a U.S.-backed ceasefire proposal for Gaza. The meeting was part of a diplomatic effort ahead of Kushner’s scheduled talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who recently rejected the proposed 15-point plan.
The talks focus on a plan intended to facilitate the disarmament of Hamas and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Palestinian territory, where military operations have continued for more than 10 months after a ceasefire was established.
A regional official and a Hamas official, both speaking on the condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to speak to the media, confirmed the meeting between Kushner and al-Hayya lasted over two hours. Fellow U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and officials from mediating countries Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey also attended the meeting.
Following the discussion, Hamas issued a statement calling on mediators and the U.S.-led Board of Peace, which oversees the ceasefire, to “compel” Israel to approve the road map. The Hamas official stated the group is committed to the plan and is awaiting the start of a 14-day negotiation period to determine a timeline for its implementation. The official added that Hamas leaders demanded Israel halt its military operations in Gaza and withdraw to a previously discussed boundary, referred to as the “yellow line,” before implementation begins.
Last week, Prime Minister Netanyahu publicly rejected the 15-point plan. According to Netanyahu, Israel will not withdraw from its positions in Gaza until Hamas has been completely disarmed. This stance affects other components of the ceasefire agreement, including reconstruction efforts and the deployment of international forces.
In response to Netanyahu’s rejection, several regional powers, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, and the ceasefire mediators, issued a joint statement. The statement said, “Israel now bears responsibility for obstructing the efforts to bring peace in Gaza.” The foreign ministers called on the Board of Peace and the United States to take “immediate and concrete measures” to prevent any party from obstructing the plan.
Netanyahu’s Likud party responded to the joint statement, claiming, “Arab states want to topple” Netanyahu.
Kushner is scheduled to meet with Netanyahu on Monday, accompanied by former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Board of Peace director Nickolay Mladenov, according to a diplomatic source and another individual familiar with the plans.
The proposed road map outlines a process where Hamas would gradually transfer its weapons to a Palestinian technocratic committee while Israeli forces would halt operations and begin a phased withdrawal. Hamas has previously linked the surrender of its heavy weapons to the establishment of a Palestinian state, a condition Israel’s current government does not support.
According to Gaza’s health ministry, more than 1,200 Palestinians have been killed and over 4,100 have been wounded in Gaza since the ceasefire was agreed to on October 10, 2025. Israeli forces currently control approximately 60% of the territory.
The White House directed questions regarding Kushner’s meetings to the Board of Peace, which has not issued a comment. The Tony Blair Institute also declined to comment.
