U.S. President Donald Trump’s push to end the war in Gaza returned to the diplomatic arena on Sunday (16 August), as his envoys met Egyptian, Qatari and Turkish mediators in Cairo while Israeli strikes continued across the strip.
Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and envoy, and Nickolay Mladenov, his Board of Peace envoy for Gaza, held talks with mediators, and Hamas officials who were also present at some meetings, according to a diplomatic source.
The discussions are aimed at turning Trump’s Gaza roadmap into practical steps, but major differences remain between Israel and Hamas over how the plan should be implemented.
Kushner and Mladenov are due to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday (17 August) as Washington seeks to move the plan forward.
Trump’s proposal calls for an immediate halt to military operations, the disarmament of Hamas and an Israeli troop withdrawal, followed by the creation of a new civilian Palestinian administration and the reconstruction of Gaza.
But Israel has raised objections to key elements of the plan. A senior Israeli official said Jerusalem was particularly concerned by Washington’s demand to halt targeted killings of Hamas militants as the group rebuilds its forces.
Netanyahu said on 9 August that Trump’s latest roadmap for Gaza was “unacceptable”.
The diplomatic push comes as Hamas also seeks guarantees that Israel will honour its commitments under the ceasefire.
A senior Hamas delegation, led by group leader Khalil al-Hayya, met Egypt's intelligence chief Hassan Rashad in Cairo on Sunday.
Hamas said the talks were focused on what it described as Israeli violations of the ceasefire and efforts to ensure Israel complies with the Gaza roadmap.
The group said it remained committed to Trump's plan but accused Israel of “reneging on the Sharm el-Sheikh agreement” and rejecting the proposed roadmap for the second phase.
Egypt has remained a key mediator between Israel and Hamas, alongside Qatar and Türkiye, as negotiatiors try to prevent the ceasefire from collapsing.
Regional pressure grows on Israel
The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, the UAE, Qatar, Indonesia, Türkiye and Pakistan issued a joint statement on Sunday backing Trump's Gaza roadmap and accusing Israel of obstructing its implementation.
The ministers said the plan, endorsed by United Nations Security Council Resolution 2803 and accepted by Palestinian factions, calls for the simultaneous decommissioning of weapons and withdrawal of Israeli forces, followed by the deployment of an International Stabilization Force and the reconstruction of Gaza.
They held Israel responsible for any further deterioration in the situation and urged Washington to step up efforts to ensure the plan is implemented.
The ministers also reaffirmed their support for a two-state solution, with a Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders and East Jerusalem as its capital.
The talks are taking place as Israeli strikes continue across the Strip.
The Israeli military said its aircraft struck Islamic Jihad and Hamas militants in Khan Younis and Nuseirat on Sunday (16 August).
Gaza medics said at least five Palestinians were wounded in a strike that hit a tent encampment in Khan Younis, with one later dying from their injuries.
A separate Israeli strike hit an apartment in the Nuseirat refugee camp, wounding several people, according to medics.
The October ceasefire halted much of the large-scale fighting that followed Hamas’ 7 October 2023 attack on Israel, but Israeli attacks and Palestinian casualties have continued.
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