Mideast negotiator Jared Kushner met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Monday after the premier rejected a 15-point, U.S.-backed road map for a Gaza truce.
The discussion follows Kushner’s two-hour meeting Sunday in Egypt with Hamas chief Khalil al-Hayya and officials from Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey. Al-Hayya demanded Israel halt attacks and withdraw to the undefined "yellow line" before beginning implementation. While Hamas accepted the road map, Israel-which controls 60% of Gaza-insists Hamas fully disarm before any withdrawal.
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The road map envisions a technocratic committee and a pathway to Palestinian statehood. However, Hamas links surrendering heavy weapons to sovereignty, a condition Netanyahu’s government rejects. Consequently, international force deployment and reconstruction remain stalled.
Regional powers, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Jordan, Pakistan, and Indonesia, issued a statement condemning Israel’s rejection. Netanyahu, facing a challenging Oct. 27 election with a hardline coalition, has not yet responded to the mounting pressure.