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Washington: US President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy, Jared Kushner, conducted rare discussions with Hamas political chief Khalil al-Hayya in Egypt as Washington looks to restart a stalled Gaza peace process. The meeting is part of a diplomatic effort to bring the next stage of the US-backed plan forward.
The 15-point proposal asks for Hamas disarmament, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, and the transfer of governance responsibilities to a new Palestinian civilian administration. Kushner pressed Hamas for real and verifiable measures toward disarming, which is a fundamental demand of Israel.
Hamas has voiced conditional support for the blueprint, requiring Israel to halt hostilities and withdraw before beginning disarmament. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected the suggestion as ‘unacceptable’ and is scheduled to meet with Kushner as Washington attempts to reconcile their differences. Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey are also involved in the mediation process.
