Jerusalem: US Middle East negotiator Jared Kushner met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday after holding lengthy talks with Hamas leaders in Egypt, as Washington stepped up efforts to secure support for a US-backed roadmap aimed at advancing a ceasefire in Gaza.Kushner's meeting with Netanyahu came after the Israeli leader rejected the 15-point proposal, which seeks to move the truce process forward and establish a framework for ending the conflict.According to sources familiar with the discussions, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Nickolay Mladenov, director of the US-created Board of Peace, also attended the meeting with Netanyahu.The latest diplomatic push is focused on winning Israeli backing for the plan, which addresses key issues including a permanent ceasefire, the future governance of Gaza, reconstruction efforts and security arrangements.On Sunday, Kushner spent more than two hours in Egypt meeting Hamas leader Khalil Al-Hayya, alongside officials from Egypt, Qatar and Turkey, according to regional and Hamas officials.A Hamas official said Al-Hayya called for Israel to halt military operations in Gaza and withdraw to the so-called "yellow line" before implementation of the plan begins.Key disagreements remainHamas says it has accepted the roadmap, including provisions related to disarmament, and has urged mediators and the Board of Peace to pressure Israel to endorse the proposal.Israel, however, maintains that Hamas must fully disarm before any Israeli withdrawal from Gaza can take place.Israeli forces currently control about 60% of the Gaza Strip. Netanyahu has previously indicated that military operations could expand further.Under the proposed roadmap, Hamas would hand over its weapons to a Palestinian technocratic committee that would oversee civilian administration in Gaza.The plan also outlines a pathway towards Palestinian self-determination and statehood, a proposal that the current Israeli government opposes.Regional support for roadmapSeveral countries, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Jordan, Pakistan and Indonesia, joined ceasefire mediators in issuing a statement on Sunday criticising Israel's rejection of the proposal.The statement said Israel now bears responsibility for obstructing efforts to achieve peace in Gaza and called on the Board of Peace and the United States to take immediate measures to prevent any party from blocking implementation of the plan.Israel did not immediately respond to the statement.Reconstruction and security plans on holdUntil an agreement is reached on the roadmap, other ceasefire-related measures remain suspended, including plans for Gaza's reconstruction and the deployment of international forces tasked with separating Israeli troops from areas controlled by the proposed Palestinian administration.The diplomatic efforts come as Netanyahu prepares for elections scheduled for October 27 while managing a governing coalition that includes ministers advocating a hardline approach towards Gaza.The coming weeks are also expected to carry symbolic significance as the anniversary approaches of the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which triggered the war.
