Jared Kushner, President Trump’s son-in-law, has joined White House Special Envoy Steve Witkoff in Egypt to work towards a Gaza ceasefire agreement. This marks Kushner’s return to geopolitical involvement.
Kushner’s presence, despite not holding an official position in the Trump administration currently, signals the U.S.’s commitment to securing a deal between Hamas and Israel. The goal is to end the two-year conflict and ensure the release of all 48 hostages.
According to a White House official, Kushner, a key figure in the Abraham Accords, is a trusted advisor on Middle East policy and has been consulting with Witkoff during the Israel-Hamas negotiations over the past year.
The White House expressed gratitude for Kushner’s expertise as they strive to finalize a deal and end the war this week, remaining “cautiously optimistic” about reaching an agreement.
Rebeccah Heinrichs of the Hudson Institute’s Keystone Defense Initiative, stated that Kushner’s involvement indicates the Trump administration’s determination to achieve progress, bringing significant resources to facilitate deals. She highlighted his past success with the Abraham Accords.
Reports indicate that Kushner and Witkoff plan to remain in Egypt, alongside other mediating nations like Qatar, until a deal is reached.
Their arrival follows the third day of intense negotiations, which began on Monday in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, with the participation of Israeli and Hamas officials.
These negotiations were initiated after Trump revealed a 20-point peace plan aimed at ending the war and securing the hostages’ return within 72 hours of an agreement.
Prime Minister Netanyahu initially agreed to the terms, prompting Trump to urge Hamas to respond.
Hamas reportedly accepted most of the proposal but raised objections to certain aspects, including the rapid return of all hostages, particularly those presumed dead and buried under rubble.
Hamas also expressed concerns about disarming completely and questioned Israel’s commitment to ending its military operations in Gaza after the hostages are released.
Security experts suggest that Trump’s prior support for Israel’s military actions in Gaza positions him uniquely to pressure Netanyahu and encourage both parties to negotiate.
John Hannah of the Jewish Institute for National Security of America, emphasized the importance of maintaining U.S. and Trump’s support for Israel’s long-term security and Netanyahu’s political future. He warned that rejecting U.S. proposals would be detrimental.
Netanyahu faces increasing pressure both domestically, due to public frustration over the hostage situation, and within his coalition, which views negotiations with Hamas as a compromise of his security objectives.
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