Jared Kushner, President Trump's envoy, met with Hamas leaders in Egypt on August 16, 2026, to discuss their commitment to disarm. This meeting was the first since the signing of an agreement to end the war in Gaza last October. Kushner's discussions come as the White House and Trump's Board of Peace encourage both Hamas and Israel to advance the U.S. 20-point peace plan. Kushner is expected to visit Israel on August 17 to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding necessary actions from Israel.
The meeting included Board of Peace high representative Nickolay Mladenov and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Hamas political leader Khalil Al-Hayya, Egyptian intelligence chief Hassan Rashad, Qatari diplomat Ali al-Thawadi, and a senior Turkish official also attended. The objective was to outline specific, verifiable steps for Hamas to demilitarize Gaza, including transferring governing authority to a Palestinian technocratic government and ensuring Hamas's exclusion from future governance.
The Board of Peace aims for Hamas to begin decommissioning weapons and military infrastructure, allow the International Stabilization Force to deploy, and facilitate Gaza's recovery and reconstruction. Additionally, they seek corresponding withdrawals from Israel if Hamas initiates disarmament and an acceleration of humanitarian relief efforts in Gaza.