Kushner holds Hamas talks in Egypt on Gaza plan

United States envoy Jared Kushner held a two-hour meeting in Egypt on Sunday with Hamas political chief Khalil al-Hayya, officials familiar with the talks said, as mediation resumed around a stalled 15-point Gaza ceasefire road map. The meeting was described as part of renewed efforts to restart a framework that has not moved forward in recent weeks.

Officials said representatives from Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey were also present at the session. The talks in Egypt came ahead of a scheduled meeting between Kushner and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, which officials described as a key moment for determining whether the plan can be revived.

Diplomacy resumes around a 15-point ceasefire road map

Officials briefed on the diplomatic track said negotiations Officials briefed on the diplomatic track said negotiations have remained stuck because Prime Minister Netanyahu rejected the U.S.-backed plan. The framework, as described by officials, is built around a trade-off in which Hamas would move through phased disarmament while Israel would carry out a military withdrawal. According to the same officials, Hamas has indicated it is willing to proceed with a 14-day negotiation period linked to the framework. Officials added that the group has tied any surrender of heavy weaponry to broader political concessions, including the establishment of a Palestinian state. Control of Gaza territory and regional criticism Israel currently controls about 60 percent of Gaza territory, according to information cited in the talks. Officials did not provide additional details on how that control would shift under any proposed withdrawal sequence, leaving the territorial implications of the plan unclear at this stage.

They cited a joint statement by Saudi Arabia

Officials said the failure to implement the road map has led to public criticism from regional powers. They cited a joint statement by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates that placed responsibility on Israel for blocking peace efforts.

Netanyahu’s election calendar and the Monday test

Officials said the planned Monday meeting between Kushner and Netanyahu is viewed as a pivotal test of whether the ceasefire framework can be put back on track. Israel is scheduled to hold an election on October 27, and political analysts cited by officials said the campaign calendar is increasing pressure on Netanyahu.

Analysts also pointed to coalition dynamics as a constraint, saying Netanyahu faces significant pressure from his partners to maintain a hardline position. Officials familiar with the track did not indicate whether any changes in Israel’s stance are expected before the election.

Reconstruction and oversight depend on immediate progress

Officials said the broader aim of the road map is to create conditions for reconstruction and the deployment of international oversight committees. They added that these later stages hinge on whether the immediate negotiation period can begin and whether the parties can narrow differences on disarmament and withdrawal.

Officials said the outcome of Monday’s talks remains uncertain. They said the discussions will help determine whether the process moves beyond the current impasse or continues to stall despite renewed mediation involving Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey.