Kushner travels to Egypt for talks with Hamas figure on Gaza ceasefire plan

Khalil al-Hayya, a senior Hamas figure involved in the group's negotiating team, is representing the Palestinian side in the talks, according to people familiar with the arrangements. Egyptian mediators are hosting the discussions in Cairo, reflecting Egypt's longstanding role as an intermediary between Hamas and Israel. The choice of venue underscores the diplomatic track that has run parallel to the military conflict in Gaza.

Background: The 15-point framework

Kushner and the visiting delegation are then scheduled to travel to Israel for a meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, according to a source familiar with the plans and a second diplomatic source, both speaking anonymously. The Israeli government has not formally announced the meeting. The back-to-back sessions in Cairo and Jerusalem are intended to keep momentum behind a framework that the United States first outlined earlier in the year.

The 15-point plan, described by US officials as a road map, includes stages for hostage release, the disarmament of militant wings, the reconstruction of Gaza, and the eventual deployment of an international stabilization force. Skeptics in Israel and among the hostages' families have questioned whether Hamas is prepared to accept the disarmament provisions, which the group has historically resisted. Supporters of the plan argue that phased implementation, backed by guarantees from Arab states, could make compliance politically survivable for Hamas's leadership.

Egypt's role as mediator

Egypt has positioned itself at the center of the mediation effort since the early weeks of the war, hosting ceasefires, prisoner-swap negotiations and humanitarian-coordination talks. Cairo's intelligence chief has maintained a working relationship with both Hamas's political bureau in Doha and Israeli counterparts. That dual channel is now being used to shuttle Kushner's delegation between the parties, diplomats said.

The US-created Peace Board, which Mladenov directs, was established to monitor implementation of any agreement, including verification of weapons collection and oversight of reconstruction funds. The board's role has drawn criticism from some Israeli legislators who argue that international oversight infringes on sovereignty, but Washington has framed it as a necessary condition for Arab participation in the reconstruction effort.

Political pressures in Israel

Within Israel, families of the remaining hostages have pressed Netanyahu to accept any deal that brings their relatives home, while members of his governing coalition have warned that a ceasefire without disarmament would be a strategic mistake. The political balancing act has delayed previous rounds of talks. Monday's meeting is expected to test whether the Egyptian track can produce the compromises needed to relaunch negotiations.

Regional governments, including those of Qatar and Saudi Arabia, have signaled willingness to contribute to Gaza's reconstruction and to provide financial guarantees to Hamas figures who agree to lay down arms, provided an internationally supervised pathway is in place. The diplomatic source said those guarantees remain under negotiation and are not yet final, leaving the durability of any emerging deal contingent on follow-up commitments in the weeks ahead.