Kushner Meets Netanyahu to Advance Gaza Disarmament Plan

Jared Kushner just landed in Israel for meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right after a pretty unusual sit-down with Hamas officials in Cairo. He’s in the middle of a bigger push—to get militant groups in Gaza to lay down their weapons and, in return, open the door to rebuilding and kickstarting the economy there.

Washington is throwing its weight behind this plan. The idea is that Hamas gives up its weapons, and in exchange, the world steps in to help rebuild what’s left of Gaza’s infrastructure. Kushner’s meeting with Hamas leaders in Egypt was a big deal—not many senior Americans have sat across the table from them, since the group’s been kept out in the diplomatic cold for ages.

Egypt is really in the driver’s seat here, bringing Israel, Hamas, and the U.S. together to talk. The proposal reportedly has something for everyone: security guarantees for Israel, and, if Hamas agrees to disarm, a shot at gaining some political legitimacy.

Netanyahu and his team aren’t exactly jumping for joy. They’re interested, but they don’t trust that Hamas will actually follow through. Israeli officials keep hammering the point: any deal has to guarantee long-term security and stop any new attacks.

This visit by Kushner feels like a test—can everyone let go of old grudges for once and actually make some progress?

All of this is happening in the middle of rising tensions and a worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza. People everywhere are pushing for a real, lasting solution. The talks are just getting off the ground, but the way Kushner’s bouncing between capitals shows how urgent everyone feels this is.