Kushner meets Netanyahu as Gaza truce roadmap faces Israeli rejection

Jared Kushner, the US Middle East negotiator, met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Monday, following the premier's rejection of a 15-point, US-backed roadmap intended to advance the Gaza ceasefire. The talks come as Washington presses Israel to accept the plan, which carries significant implications for the roughly two million Palestinians in Gaza, the reconstruction of the war-damaged territory, and its future governance.

Hamas has stated its agreement to the roadmap, which includes provisions for disarmament, and is urging mediators and the US-created Board of Peace to compel Israel to sign on. However, Israel has conditioned any withdrawal from Gaza on Hamas fully disarming first, while the roadmap links Israeli withdrawal to the implementation of the plan's terms. Israeli forces currently occupy about 60% of the strip, and Netanyahu has previously threatened to expand control.

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Board of Peace Director Nickolay Mladenov were also present at the meeting with Netanyahu, according to sources familiar with the discussions. The meeting followed a two-hour session Kushner held on Sunday with Hamas chief Khalil al-Hayya in Egypt, which was also attended by officials from mediating countries Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey.

During that session, the Hamas leader reportedly demanded that Israel halt attacks and withdraw to the so-called "yellow line" dividing the territory before implementation begins. The line has never been precisely defined, and Israeli forces have moved beyond it. In May, Netanyahu stated the next step was to increase control to 70% of Gaza.

Several regional powers, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, issued a statement on Sunday condemning Israel's rejection of the roadmap, asserting that Israel bears responsibility for obstructing peace efforts. The statement, also signed by Jordan, Pakistan, Indonesia, and the ceasefire mediators, called on the Board of Peace and the US to take immediate measures to prevent any party from blocking the plan's implementation.

Under the roadmap, Hamas would hand over weapons to a Palestinian technocratic committee meant to oversee daily operations in the territory, a committee that has not yet entered Gaza. Hamas has linked the surrender of its heaviest weapons to the creation of a Palestinian state, a prospect the current Israeli government rejects. Until the roadmap is agreed upon, other ceasefire elements, including reconstruction and the deployment of international forces, remain on hold.

Netanyahu faces a challenging election on Oct. 27, with a coalition that includes ministers taking a hard line on Gaza. The anniversary of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on southern Israel, which sparked the war, is also approaching.