Kushner Meets Netanyahu After Rare Hamas Talks; Israel Still Says No to Disarmament Plan

JERUSALEM (AP) — Jared Kushner, the U.S. Middle East negotiator, met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday. The meeting came just one day after Kushner held a rare, two-hour talk with a senior Hamas leader. The focus of both meetings was a 15-point, U.S.-backed road map. The plan is meant to move the Gaza ceasefire forward. But Israel has rejected the plan, and Netanyahu has not yet agreed to sign it. The road map is critical for the future of Gaza. It affects about 2 million Palestinians living there, the rebuilding of the destroyed territory, and who will control the area next. Hamas says it has accepted the plan. The group has agreed to disarm. It is now urging the U.S.-created Board of Peace and other mediators to pressure Israel into signing. Israel refuses. Under the plan, Israel must withdraw its troops from Gaza. Israel says Hamas must hand over all its weapons first. The Israeli military currently controls about 60% of the Gaza Strip. The meeting with Netanyahu included former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Nickolay Mladenov, the director of the Board of Peace. Two sources confirmed their presence but asked not to be named because the meeting was private. **Kushner’s direct talks with Hamas** Kushner met with Hamas chief Khalil al-Hayya in Egypt on Sunday. The meeting lasted over two hours and focused on disarmament. Officials from Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey also attended. A Hamas official said al-Hayya demanded Israel stop its attacks and pull back to the “yellow line.” This line divides the territory. It was never clearly defined. Israeli forces have moved beyond it. Netanyahu has previously threatened to expand Israeli control from 60% to 70% of Gaza. He said Israel would tighten its grip on Hamas from all directions. **Regional pressure grows** Several countries are now pushing back against Israel. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Pakistan, and Indonesia issued a joint statement on Sunday. They condemned Israel’s rejection of the road map. The statement said Israel now bears responsibility for blocking peace efforts in Gaza. The foreign ministers also called on the Board of Peace and the U.S. to take immediate action. They want to stop any party from obstructing the plan. Israel has not responded to the statement. The White House referred questions to the Board of Peace, which did not comment. The Tony Blair Institute also remained silent. **What the plan requires** The road map requires Hamas to hand over its weapons to a Palestinian committee. This committee would manage daily life in Gaza. It has not yet entered the territory. Hamas has linked the surrender of its heaviest weapons to the creation of a Palestinian state. The road map does include a “credible pathway” toward Palestinian statehood. Israel’s current government rejects this idea. Until the plan is agreed upon, other parts of the ceasefire remain on hold. This includes rebuilding Gaza and sending international forces to separate Israeli troops from committee-controlled areas. Netanyahu faces a difficult election on Oct. 27. His coalition includes ministers with hardline views on Gaza. It is unclear if he will take major steps on the ceasefire before the vote. The anniversary of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on southern Israel is also approaching. That attack sparked the ongoing war.