Hamas leadership recently met with US envoy Jared Kushner in Cairo to negotiate a US-brokered peace plan for Gaza. Following the discussions, Hamas called on the Board of Peace to pressure Israel into adhering to the roadmap's initial phase.
The 15-point roadmap debated in Cairo
The diplomatic effort centers on a 15-point roadmap designed to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and stimulate economic growth. According to the report, the Cairo talks lasted over two hours and included Nickolay Mladenov, the High Representative for the Board of Peace. the plan seeks to transition through specific phases to stabilize the region, though progress has stalled due to Israeli rejection and renewed military strikes in Gaza.
Hamas has formally approved the second phase of this Trump-led roadmap. However, the group maintains that this approval is contingent on several immediate prerequisites: a total Israeli withdrawal from the territory, the cessation of military incursions, and the immediate delivery of humanitarian aid to the civilian population.
Kushner's demand for factional disarmament
A primary point of contention in the negotiations is the sequence of security arrangements. Jared Kushner affirmed that while Donald Trump is committed to the plan and opposes the displacement of Palestinians, the US views factional disarmament as a non-negotiable requirement. The US position is that disarmament must occur before any political integration or subsequent phases of the roadmap can proceed.
This demand creates a fundamental deadlock. While the US insists on the removal of weapons first, Hamas is demanding a full Israeli withdrawal as a priority. This tension echoes long-standing disputes in the region where security guarantees and territorial withdrawals are rarely agreed upon simultaneously, often leading to the collapse of previous ceasefire attempts.
The Board of Peace and the technocratic committee
The governance structure proposed by the Board of Peace represents a radical shift in Gaza's administration. As the source notes, the plan requires Hamas to dismantle its military infrastructure and allow the deployment of an international stabiliisation force. Furthermore, administrative authority would be transferred to an independent Palestinian technocratic committee.
Crucially, this proposed committee would exclude Hamas from any future governance roles. This requirement effectively asks Hamas to surrender both its military power and its political authority in exchange for the economic development and humanitarian relief promised by the 15-point plan. It remains unclear who would be appointed to this technocratic committee or how such a body would maintain legitimacy among the local population without the involvement of existing political factions.
Monday's Tel Aviv meeting and the assassination dispute
The diplomatic shuttle continues as Jared Kushner is expected to travel to Tel Aviv on Monday to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. This meeting will focus on reciprocal obligations, but significant friction remains regarding the US's request that Israel halt targeted assassinations of leadership figures.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has maintained a hard line,insisting that factional disarmament must precede any Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. The dispute over targeted killings suggests a gap in trust between the US envoy and the Israeli government, leaving it uncertain whether Netanyahu will accept the US-brokered terms or continue the current military strategy regardless of the roadmap's proposed phases.
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