Kushner sits with Netanyahu to talk Gaza after 2-hour meeting with Hamas

Kushner sits with Netanyahu to talk Gaza after 2-hour meeting with Hamas 1 of 2 | Palestinians remove iron from the rubble of buildings destroyed by Israeli airstrikes during the war with Hamas, repair and recycle it for construction, building tents or selling it, in Gaza City, Sunday, Aug. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi) 2 of 2 | Palestinians remove iron from the rubble of buildings destroyed by Israeli airstrikes during the war with Hamas, repair and recycle it for construction, building tents or selling it, in Gaza City, Sunday, Aug. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi) By JULIA FRANKEL and SAMY MAGDY Updated 10:48 AM MESZ, August 17, 2026 Leer en español Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit JERUSALEM (AP) — Mideast negotiator and Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner was meeting Monday with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after the premier rejected the 15-point, U.S.-backed road map to move the truce deal forward in Gaza. In the latest round of meetings, the U.S. is angling for Israel’s approval of the road map. There is a lot at stake, including the lives of some 2 million Palestinians in Gaza, the reconstruction of the demolished enclave and future control over the territory. Hamas says it has agreed to the road map, which includes disarmament, and the group is urging mediators and the U.S.-created Board of Peace to “compel” Israel to sign on as well. But Israel, which under the road map must withdraw from Gaza, says Hamas must fully disarm before any Israeli withdrawal will occur. Israeli troops occupy about 60% of the strip and Netanyahu has previously threatened to advance. Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Board of Peace Director Nickolay Mladenov were also in the meeting with Netanyahu, according to a source familiar with the plans and a diplomatic source. Both spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a closed-door meeting. The meeting comes after Kushner spent over two hours meeting Sunday with Hamas chief Khalil al-Hayya in Egypt on disarmament, according to a regional official and a Hamas official, who both spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to reporters. Officials from mediating countries Egypt, Qatar and Turkey also were there. Kushner has a rare meeting with Hamas’ leader on the Gaza road map. A meeting with Netanyahu is next 2 MIN READ Top US commander visits aircraft carrier, Gaza talks in Egypt and other Mideast news 4 MIN READ 378 Jared Kushner to visit Israel and Egypt next week with Board of Peace officials to talk Gaza 4 MIN READ 378 The Hamas official also said the Hamas leader demanded Israel halt its attacks on Gaza and withdraw to the so-called “yellow line” dividing the territory before beginning implementation. The yellow line was never precisely defined. Israeli forces have moved beyond it and now control about 60% of Gaza. In May, Netanyahu said the next step was to move to 70% control, with Israel “tightening the grip” on Hamas “from every direction.” Several regional powers including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates issued a statement Sunday condemning Israel’s rejection of the road map, saying, “Israel now bears responsibility for obstructing the efforts to bring peace in Gaza.” Other signers included Jordan, Pakistan, Indonesia and the ceasefire mediators. The foreign ministers’ statement called on the Board of Peace and the U.S. to take “immediate and concrete measures” to keep any party from obstructing the plan’s implementation. The White House referred questions about Kushner’s meetings to the Board of Peace, which did not immediately comment. The Tony Blair Institute also did not comment. Under the road map, Hamas would hand over weapons to the Palestinian technocratic committee meant to oversee daily operations in the territory. The committee has not yet entered Gaza. But Hamas has linked the surrender of its heaviest weapons to the creation of a Palestinian state and the road map entails the creation of a “credible pathway toward achieving Palestinian self-determination and statehood,” something Israel’s current government rejects. Until the road map is agreed to, other elements of the ceasefire are on hold, including reconstruction and the deployment of international forces to separate Israeli forces from committee-controlled areas. Netanyahu faces a challenging election on Oct. 27 as he tries to hold onto power with a coalition that includes ministers taking a harsh line on Gaza and it’s not clear whether he will take decisive steps on the ceasefire before then. Also coming up is the anniversary of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on southern Israel that sparked the war. Frankel reported from Jerusalem and Magdy from Cairo. Collin Binkley in Washington and Sylvia Hui in London contributed to this report. JULIA FRANKEL Frankel, based in Jerusalem, has reported from across Israel and the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Her reporting focuses on war, human rights, displacement and criminal justice. twitter mailto SAMY MAGDY Magdy is a Middle East reporter for The Associated Press, based in Cairo. He focuses on conflict, migration and human rights abuses. twitter facebook mailto