Gaza in Focus as Trump Taps Kushner for Talks with Hamas, Sisi and Netanyahu

In an effort to give fresh momentum to negotiations over a ceasefire in Gaza, Jared Kushner is holding a series of high-level meetings in the Middle East. He is US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and previously served as his adviser on the region.

Over the weekend, Kushner met in Egypt with Khalil al-Hayya, one of Hamas’s leading figures. The talks were held as diplomatic efforts to end the war in Gaza remain at a difficult stage.

During his stay in Egypt, he was also received by President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. The Egyptian president’s office said the discussions focused on the parties fulfilling their obligations to end the war in Gaza.

Kushner’s next stop is expected to be Israel, where he is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Kushner is being accompanied at these meetings by Nickolay Mladenov, who heads the Board of Peace. The US-backed body aims to help achieve a long-term solution for Gaza.

The mission comes after President Trump presented a new 15-point peace plan for Gaza. The proposal includes an end to the fighting, the disarmament of Hamas and the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces.

However, Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly opposed the plan. The Israeli prime minister has insisted that Israel’s military will not withdraw from Gaza unless Hamas is fully disarmed.

For its part, Hamas has said it is prepared to accept a disarmament plan but is demanding that Israel first fulfill its obligations under the previous ceasefire agreement.

For Kushner, involvement in Middle East diplomacy is nothing new. During Trump’s first term, he was one of the leading figures involved in shaping US policy toward the region. He also played an important role in the Abraham Accords, which enabled Israel to normalize relations with several Arab states.

After leaving the White House in 2021, Kushner founded the investment firm Affinity Partners. The firm received $2 billion from Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, while the United Arab Emirates and Qatar have also invested in it.

These financial ties have previously raised questions about a potential conflict of interest. Kushner has rejected the allegations, arguing that the relationships he has established in the region represent valuable experience and contacts for diplomacy.

Kushner has now once again moved to the center of US efforts in the Middle East. The talks with Hamas, the Egyptian president and the Israeli prime minister are aimed at bringing a ceasefire agreement, which is currently stalled, back to the negotiating table.

However, reaching a new ceasefire in Gaza remains difficult: Netanyahu opposes the withdrawal of the Israeli military, while Hamas is demanding guarantees that agreements will be implemented.