US President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy, Jared Kushner, engaged in uncommon direct discussions with Hamas leadership to advance the US-supported Gaza peace initiative.

According to a Palestinian official, Kushner met a delegation led by Hamas's new leader, Khalil al-Hayya, in Egypt on Sunday. The talks marked the first high-level meeting since last year's ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip.

The US-backed Board of Peace recently announced an agreement aiming for the complete disarmament of Hamas and other armed factions in Gaza. The 15-point plan also calls for the withdrawal of Israeli troops and the establishment of a new civilian Palestinian administration to oversee Gaza's reconstruction.

However, Israel has rejected the plan, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisting that Hamas must be fully disarmed before any troop withdrawal occurs. Netanyahu stated, "Israel rejects the Board of Peace's 15-point document on Gaza. The IDF will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is genuinely disarmed."

The meeting included Board of Peace envoys Nickolay Mladenov and former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, alongside representatives from Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, all key mediators in the peace process. While no official statement has been issued, discussions reportedly focused on disarmament steps, troop withdrawals, and humanitarian efforts.

During his visit to Egypt, Kushner also met with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Israeli media report that Kushner, Mladenov, and Blair are scheduled to meet Netanyahu to further push the peace plan.

Regional Reaction and Ongoing Conflict

Eight Muslim-majority countries, including Egypt, UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Turkey, Pakistan, and Indonesia, issued a joint statement condemning Israel's refusal to accept the US plan, warning it undermines peace efforts.

The ceasefire, brokered last October, remains technically in place despite intermittent Israeli airstrikes targeting alleged Hamas militants in Gaza. The conflict reignited following a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel in October 2023, resulting in over 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages. Israel's military response has caused significant casualties and displacement in Gaza, with UN estimates indicating nearly 1.9 million people—90% of Gaza's population—have been displaced.