by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief
(Worthy News) – U.S. envoy Jared Kushner met senior Hamas leaders in Egypt on Sunday as the Trump administration intensified efforts to move Gaza toward disarmament and postwar governance, even as Israel continued targeted strikes against terrorist operatives inside the Gaza Strip.
Kushner met Hamas chief Khalil al-Hayya in Egypt alongside former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Board of Peace Director-General Nikolay Mladenov. Diplomats from Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey also participated in the discussions.
The talks centered on implementing the U.S.-backed roadmap for Gaza, including Hamas surrendering its weapons, dismantling its terrorist infrastructure, relinquishing political control of Gaza, and transferring governing authority to the technocratic National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG).
A source familiar with the negotiations told The Jerusalem Post that the objective was to turn the roadmap into “concrete, verifiable actions” and ultimately remove Hamas from power. The discussions also addressed the future deployment of an International Stabilization Force, humanitarian relief, reconstruction, and an eventual Israeli military withdrawal.
Israel Demands Disarmament Before Withdrawal
A central dispute remains over which side moves first.
Hamas reportedly told Kushner it would begin implementing the disarmament agreement only after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly commits Israel to the broader Gaza plan. Netanyahu, however, has insisted that Israeli forces will not withdraw until Hamas has actually disarmed.
Kushner reportedly pressed Hamas to demonstrate its commitment through action rather than promises, while urging the terrorist organization to stop armed displays throughout Gaza and cooperate with transferring governmental control to the new Palestinian administration.
Kushner traveled from Egypt to Israel and is expected to meet Netanyahu alongside Blair and Mladenov as Washington seeks to bridge the remaining differences.
IDF Strikes Continue
Meanwhile, Israel continued military operations against terrorist targets.
The IDF said Sunday that it targeted a Palestinian Islamic Jihad operative in Khan Younis and a Hamas operative in Nuseirat, saying both men were advancing attacks against Israel. The strikes followed an incident in which a Hamas explosive device struck an Israeli tank near the Gaza ceasefire demarcation line. No Israeli troops were injured.
Israeli officials have accused Hamas of using recent pauses in targeted killings not to prepare for disarmament, but to rebuild and strengthen its military capabilities.
The emerging standoff leaves Washington attempting to break a familiar cycle: Hamas is demanding Israeli concessions before surrendering its military power, while Israel insists that the terrorist organization responsible for the October 7 massacre must first be demonstrably disarmed before Israel gives up its security leverage.
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