Kushner's Diplomatic Efforts Stall in Gaza Negotiations

Jared Kushner, special envoy for Donald Trump and his son-in-law, concluded two days of diplomatic talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas leaders in Egypt, yet no substantial progress was made toward a Gaza peace deal.

Kushner's meetings aimed to revive a stalled U.S. peace initiative, which has been hindered by ongoing Israeli airstrikes and Hamas's refusal to disarm. While President Trump previously asserted that Hamas had agreed to a phased disarmament under a 15-point roadmap, Hamas has stated that their compliance is contingent upon Israel fulfilling its obligations, such as ceasing attacks and withdrawing military forces.

During the meeting with Netanyahu, Kushner suggested appointing a U.S. general to oversee the disarmament process. However, the Israeli leader expressed that military operations would persist until Hamas is entirely disarmed, rejecting the roadmap outright. An Israeli official confirmed that no breakthroughs were achieved, emphasizing that military actions in Gaza would continue as deemed necessary, particularly against those involved in the October 7 attack that escalated the conflict.

Netanyahu's coalition government is facing a challenging reelection landscape, and analysts suggest he is unlikely to make concessions before the October 27 elections. Both sides remain divided on the sequencing of the disarmament and reconstruction process, with Hamas demanding adherence to a ceasefire and Israel insisting on complete disarmament before reconstruction efforts can commence.

Kushner's discussions included the possibility of forming a working group on disarmament and another focusing on public health issues in Gaza, such as sanitation and clean water. Despite the lack of progress, a Board of Peace official characterized the talks as "in-depth and very productive," hinting at a potential path forward, although details remained scarce.

Source: www.abc.net.au