Kushner’s bid to rescue Gaza peace plan

Renewed diplomatic efforts led by United States (U.S.) Special Envoy Jared Kushner has placed the Gaza ceasefire agreement back at the center of regional and international attention. Following a series of meetings in Egypt and Israel, the U.S. has sought to advance the implementation of the second phase of the Gaza roadmap that was agreed upon at the end of July. The initiative comes after a period of stalled negotiations, continued military operations in Gaza, and disagreements between Israel and Hamas over the sequencing of obligations under the agreement.

Kushner’s diplomatic tour included meetings with Egyptian officials, Hamas representatives, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The discussions focused on resolving outstanding disputes related to disarmament, Israeli military withdrawal, humanitarian measures, reconstruction, and the future administration of Gaza.

Cairo meetings and Egypt’s role

Kushner began his regional tour with meetings in Egypt, including discussions with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in El Alamein. According to the Egyptian presidency, both sides highlighted the importance of all parties fulfilling their commitments under the Gaza ceasefire agreement reached during the Sharm el-Sheikh Peace Summit in October 2025.

Egypt reaffirmed its role as one of the principal mediators alongside Qatar and Turkey. The meetings focused on facilitating implementation of the roadmap adopted for the second phase of the agreement and reducing the differences between the parties.

Kushner also held direct talks in Egypt with Hamas leaders, accompanied by representatives from the U.S.-backed Board of Peace, Egyptian intelligence officials, and mediators from Qatar and Turkey. The discussions addressed the movement’s commitments regarding disarmament, governance, and implementation of the agreed roadmap.

Disarmament, particularly, remained the central issue throughout Kushner’s meetings. Kushner stressed that practical and verifiable steps toward disarmament were necessary before additional phases of the agreement could proceed. This included dismantling military infrastructure, surrendering weapons, and ending Hamas’ future governing role in Gaza.

Hamas reportedly reaffirmed its commitment to the roadmap and stated its readiness to transfer governing authority in Gaza to a Palestinian technocratic administration. The movement also expressed concerns regarding continued Israeli military operations and called for reciprocal Israeli measures, including military withdrawal and implementation of humanitarian commitments.

Kushner stated publicly that the U.S. expected concrete actions rather than declarations, stressing that confidence would depend on implementation.

Kushner’s visit to Israel

Following his meetings in Egypt, Kushner traveled to Israel for nearly 4 hours of talks with Prime Minister (PM) Benjamin Netanyahu and senior Israeli officials.

The meeting focused on advancing implementation of the U.S.-supported peace roadmap while addressing Israeli security concerns. Kushner’s delegation included Board of Peace representatives, including Nickolay Mladenov, former British PM Tony Blair, Aryeh Lightstone, and Liran Tancman.

During the discussions, Netanyahu reiterated Israel’s position that no military withdrawal from Gaza would occur before Hamas completed its disarmament. Israeli officials stated that reconstruction would likewise remain conditional upon full demilitarization.

Kushner and Netanyahu agreed that the initial stage would involve Hamas surrendering its weapons under the supervision of an American officer. Other reports indicated that Israel and the Board of Peace also agreed to establish two joint working groups: one dedicated to Gaza’s demilitarization and another addressing humanitarian issues, including sanitation, water, and public health.

U.S. position and Trump’s statements

Throughout the diplomatic efforts, the Trump administration maintained support for the peace roadmap while continuing to encourage implementation by both parties.

President Donald Trump publicly called on Israel to halt its attacks on Gaza, stating that Hamas had already agreed to surrender its weapons. At the same time, U.S. officials stressed that Israel retained the right to respond to imminent security threats.

Meanwhile, Kushner stated that “we could be seeing progress, you know in as little as 30 days, hopefully on starting ​to take some of the weapons out and hopefully, you know, filling in some of the tunnels as well in the next 60 to 90 days as well.” He also stated that reconstruction of Gaza would not begin before the completion of the demilitarization process.

Outstanding points of disagreement

Despite the renewed diplomatic activity, several issues remain unresolved.

Israel maintains that Hamas must fully disarm before any Israeli military withdrawal or reconstruction begins. Hamas, meanwhile, continues to insist that Israel implement its obligations under the ceasefire agreement, including ending military operations, withdrawing forces, and allowing humanitarian and reconstruction measures to proceed. Differences also remain regarding the sequencing of obligations, verification mechanisms, and the future governance of Gaza.

Israeli officials have expressed skepticism regarding Hamas’ willingness to fulfill its commitments, while U.S. officials have stated that implementation would require measurable actions rather than mere political declarations.

While all parties continue to participate in diplomatic discussions, implementation of the roadmap remains dependent on future commitments and agreed mechanisms for carrying out the obligations contained in the ceasefire agreement as well as on the domestic political conditions within the concerned parties to the conflict.