Kushner-Led Talks Expand Gaza Ceasefire

Kushner, the U.S. envoy, held high-level talks in Egypt with Hamas leadership, Egyptian President Sisi, and mediators from Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey to revive the stalled Gaza ceasefire and advance the 15-point roadmap. Hamas announced it had asked the US-backed Board of Peace to compel Israel to implement obligations and to approve the roadmap’s second phase, while Hamas officials signaled commitment to the plan as regional mediators prepared further discussions ahead of Kushner’s meetings with Netanyahu. Israeli leadership, led by Netanyahu, has publicly rejected the roadmap in its current form, complicating the path to a durable truce as Israeli airstrikes continue in Gaza. The talks, attended by Egyptian intelligence chief Hassan Rashad and other officials, come as mediators press for all sides to meet their commitments and as regional powers react with statements criticizing Israel’s stance, underscoring the fragile, multi-party diplomacy surrounding Gaza. The urgency remains acute for roughly 2 million Gazans, with ongoing violence and a fragile ceasefire framework hanging on disarmament and verified transitions of governance.