CAIRO – Donald Trump’s envoy and son-in-law Jared Kushner discussed the US leader’s plan for Gaza with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Aug 16, hours after Hamas chief Khalil El-Hayya met Cairo’s spymaster.

Kushner and El-Hayya, both in the Mediterranean city of El-Alamein, held separate talks on the implementation of Trump’s post-war plan for Gaza, which has largely been stalled since a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas was declared in October.

The ceasefire slowed, but never completely stopped, Israeli attacks in the strip, and a recently released roadmap for the next phase of the plan involves two of its thorniest prospects – Hamas’ disarmament and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Palestinian territory.

The meeting between Kushner and Sisi “emphasised the need for all parties to fulfil their obligations under the Gaza Strip ceasefire agreement”, according to presidential spokesperson Mohamed El-Shennawy.

Kushner is set to travel next to Israel, which publicly rejected the 15-point roadmap after Hamas had already agreed to it.

The Hamas delegation, in a meeting with Egyptian intelligence chief Hassan Rashad, “reaffirmed commitment to completing US President Donald Trump’s plan”.

Hamas had said in late July that it was ready to hand over its weapons to a nascent technical committee set to govern Gaza, as part of a 15-point plan announced by US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace.

But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected the plan, vowing there would be no withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza until the full disarmament of Hamas.

The delegation arrived in Egypt on the evening of Aug 15, ahead of a visit by Trump’s envoy Jared Kushner to the region.

A Hamas official had told AFP the talks in the Mediterranean city of El-Alamein would cover “the latest developments in the negotiations and the efforts being made to compel Israel to abide by the agreement, which includes the 15-point roadmap, and to begin its implementation”.

“The delegation will brief Egyptian officials on Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement, and Hayya will emphasise the movement’s commitment and readiness to implement the agreement as soon as Israel announces its commitment to it.”

Another Hamas source told AFP that a meeting was being arranged between the Hamas negotiating delegation, the Board of Peace’s high representative for Gaza, Nickolay Mladenov, and US officials during Kushner’s visit to Egypt this week, to discuss obstacles related to the agreement.

The source added that contacts were under way with Egyptian, Qatari and Turkish mediators “to compel Israel to abide by the agreement”. AFP