US envoy Jared Kushner meets Hamas leader in Egypt

Jared Kushner, the US envoy for Middle East negotiations, has held direct discussions in Egypt with a Hamas delegation led by Khalil al-Hayya, the organization’s political chief. The meeting aimed to advance a US-led roadmap for Gaza, which includes the disarmament of Hamas and an Israeli withdrawal from the territory.

Khalil al-Hayya met with Egyptian intelligence chief Hassan Rashad ahead of Kushner’s visit. The diplomatic push follows the rejection by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of a 15-point peace plan proposed by Nikolai Mladenov, the high representative for Gaza under the US-created ‘Peace Council.’

Former Israeli diplomat Freddy Eytan has criticized the direct engagement, warning that negotiating face-to-face with Hamas could grant the group international political legitimacy. Israel has maintained that any military withdrawal is contingent upon the ‘true’ disarmament of Hamas.