U.S. negotiator Jared Kushner met with Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya in Egypt on Sunday to discuss a 15-point ceasefire road map for Gaza. The meeting was part of a diplomatic effort to address stalled negotiations regarding the disarmament of Hamas and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the territory. Kushner is scheduled to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday to continue discussions on the proposal.
The current diplomatic push follows a period of deadlock in the ceasefire process, which has been inactive for more than 10 months since major military operations ended. While a previous meeting involving Kushner and Hamas leaders helped establish the initial ceasefire, progress has since halted over the specific terms of Hamas giving up its weapons. The 15-point plan, supported by the U.S., requires Hamas to disarm and Israel to withdraw from Gaza, which remains largely under Israeli military control.
During the Sunday meeting, Kushner was joined by envoys Steve Witkoff, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, and Nickolay Mladenov of the U.S.-created Board of Peace. Officials from Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey also participated. According to an anonymous Hamas official, the group expressed commitment to the road map but requested that Israel halt attacks and withdraw to a "yellow line" boundary before implementation begins. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu publicly rejected the 15-point plan last week and stated that Israel will not withdraw until Hamas is fully disarmed.
The scale of the conflict is reflected in territorial control, with Israeli forces currently occupying approximately 60% of Gaza. Prime Minister Netanyahu stated in May that he intended to increase this control to 70%. For Hamas, the disarmament requirement involves turning over heavy weaponry to a committee, a move the group has tied to the eventual creation of a Palestinian state—a condition the current Israeli government opposes.
The outcome of these talks carries implications for regional stability and upcoming political events, including the Israeli election on October 27. Several regional powers, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Jordan, Pakistan, and Indonesia, have formally blamed Israel for obstructing peace efforts following its rejection of the road map. The next phase of the process depends on all parties approving the plan to trigger a 14-day negotiation period to establish a final implementation timetable.