CAIRO, Egypt — US President Donald Trump’s envoys Jared Kushner and Nickolay Mladenov met Egyptian, Qatari and Turkish mediators in Cairo on Sunday as Washington sought to advance its Gaza peace plan, while Israeli airstrikes continued across parts of the enclave.
- Trump’s Gaza envoys Jared Kushner and Nickolay Mladenov held talks with regional mediators in Cairo.
- Hamas officials attended some meetings involving mediators and the US envoys.
- Kushner and Mladenov are scheduled to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday.
- Israeli strikes in Khan Younis and Nuseirat injured several Palestinians, according to Gaza medics.
Trump’s Gaza peace plan faces fresh diplomatic test
The Cairo meetings come as Washington attempts to move forward with Trump’s proposal to end the conflict in Gaza. A diplomatic source said Hamas officials were present at some meetings held between the mediators and the US representatives.
Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and envoy, and Mladenov, the president’s Board of Peace envoy for Gaza, are also expected to hold discussions with Israeli leadership. A senior Israeli official said the two US envoys were scheduled to meet Netanyahu on Monday.
Netanyahu said on August 9 that Trump’s latest roadmap for Gaza was “unacceptable”, adding another obstacle to efforts to turn the US proposal into a workable agreement.
What Trump’s Gaza peace plan proposes
The US proposal calls for an immediate halt to military operations in Gaza. It envisions Hamas disarming while Israeli forces withdraw from the enclave, followed by reconstruction under a new civilian Palestinian administration.
Trump announced last month that there had been a breakthrough in efforts to end the war, saying both Israel and Hamas had agreed to his plan. Hamas subsequently said it had accepted the proposal to prevent a return to full-scale war, but maintained that implementation depended on Israel fulfilling its commitments.
According to Hamas, those commitments include the withdrawal of Israeli forces and an end to attacks.
Israeli strikes continue despite diplomatic efforts
The diplomatic push is taking place alongside renewed Israeli military activity. Israel had scaled back its attacks earlier this month, but airstrikes have resumed in recent days.
The Israeli military said its aircraft targeted a militant in Khan Younis in southern Gaza on Sunday. Gaza medics said the strike hit a tent encampment and injured at least five Palestinians.
In a separate attack, the Israeli military said another militant was targeted in an airstrike on an apartment in the Nuseirat camp in central Gaza. Medics reported that several people were wounded.
Hamas raises ceasefire violations with mediators
Earlier on Sunday, Hamas leader Khalil Al-Hayya met Egypt’s intelligence chief Hassan Rashad in Cairo. Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem said Al-Hayya would brief mediators about what the group described as Israeli violations of the ceasefire.
Kushner also met Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, according to Sisi’s office, as regional mediators continued efforts to narrow differences between the parties.
Conflict toll continues to shape negotiations
An October ceasefire brought an end to major fighting in a devastating two-year conflict that began after Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack on Israel. However, the ceasefire did not completely stop Israeli attacks.
According to figures cited in the supplied Reuters report, Israeli fire has killed more than 1,250 Palestinians in Gaza since October, most of them civilians. The number of militants among the dead could not be independently established because Hamas does not routinely disclose figures for fighters killed.
Israeli figures cited in the report said four Israeli soldiers had been killed by militants in Gaza over the same period.
What happens next in the Gaza peace effort
The planned meeting between Kushner, Mladenov and Netanyahu on Monday is expected to be an important test for the US-led diplomatic effort, particularly amid Israeli concerns over Washington’s demand to end targeted killings of Hamas militants.
The talks in Cairo, involving Egypt, Qatar and Turkey as well as representatives linked to Hamas, reflect the continuing effort to establish whether the proposed ceasefire framework can be translated into concrete commitments by Israel and Hamas.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are Trump’s envoys involved in the Gaza peace talks?
Jared Kushner and Nickolay Mladenov are representing Trump’s administration in the latest diplomatic effort. They met regional mediators in Cairo and are scheduled to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
What does Trump’s Gaza peace plan propose?
The proposal calls for an immediate cessation of military operations, Hamas disarmament, an Israeli military withdrawal and reconstruction of Gaza under a new civilian Palestinian administration.
