The stalemate over implementing Trump’s 15-point peace plan continues, as Israel outright dismissed it despite Jared Kushner’s persuasion. Kushner—Trump’s son-in-law and special envoy—accompanied by former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Nickolay Mladenov, met with Hamas leaders led by Khalil al-Hayya in Egypt. Egyptian intelligence chief Hassan Rashad was also present. The discussion on August 16, 2026, primarily focused on the road map, a potential ceasefire, and the contentious issue of disarmament.
Reporting for The Washington Post, Lior Soroka, Karen DeYoung, Joshua Yang, and Mohamad El Chamna wrote:
“Hamas has demanded that Israel cease all military attacks, which have killed more than 1,000 Gazans since the ceasefire began in October, as a first step toward disarmament.”
A Hamas official, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated that the group’s talks centered on the 15-point plan—which Hamas has accepted—and their objection to Israel’s opposition.
On August 17, 2026, the delegation called on Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem but made little progress toward fulfilling the plan for the complete demilitarization of Hamas and Israel’s total withdrawal. The delegation apparently agreed to Israel’s argument that there would be no pullout of Israeli Defense Forces from Gaza before all Hamas weapons, tunnels, and infrastructure are eliminated. This gives the impression that Kushner’s delegation is more concerned with allowing Israel to buy time until the October election, ensuring maximum support for Netanyahu while avoiding conflict over contentious election issues—where Gaza will be a central topic.
The discussions with Kushner were intended to find breathing room between two seemingly irreconcilable views and keep the talks alive at least until the October election, which will decide Netanyahu’s political fate. This assumption is reinforced by the Board of Peace’s official statement, which says:
“The Israelis are going to give us some space over the next few weeks to see if we can fast-track this disarmament process and move it forward.”
In the coming weeks, the Board will establish a committee to determine whether Israeli attacks comply with the original restrictions on responding to imminent threats, a BoP official asserted.
The Board of Peace stated:
“The two sides agreed during the talks to establish working groups on disarmament and demilitarization of Gaza, and another to focus on sanitation, clean water, and other public health issues for the people of Gaza.”
Meanwhile, the pressure of condemning Netanyahu for his refusal to move forward with the peace plan—by the United Arab Emirates, which recently joined predominantly Muslim nations Turkey and Pakistan—appears to have had no effect. Gayil Talshir, a political analyst at Hebrew University, commented:
“Netanyahu doesn’t want people saying he approved withdrawal before the election.”
According to an Al Jazeera news report dated August 17, 2026, Kushner stated in a Fox News interview:
“We have a plan to rebuild Gaza, but we will not allow Gaza to be rebuilt until the demilitarization occurs.”
The question arises: who are you to rebuild Gaza? And if you do, what will the people of Gaza do? He further asserted:
“Nobody wants to put more money into a place that’s gone on for so long if it’s just going to be taken over by terrorists or blown up again.”
Kushner shares a deep personal relationship with Netanyahu and appears naturally inclined to adopt the Israeli viewpoint of full Hamas demilitarization before Israel withdraws from Gaza. This biased attitude toward Israel is evident from Kushner’s statement:
“We are not going to restrict Israel’s right to defend itself if there are any imminent threats. And so we had to clarify what that means,”
he said. The Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported that U.S. officials are increasingly frustrated that Israel is “trying to buy time, introduce new reservations, and change the sequencing set out in the road map.” The newspaper also reported that “Washington feels Israel is playing games.” The original objective of Kushner’s visit to Israel was not to reopen fresh terms of negotiation or another round of diplomatic ping-pong, but to close the chapter.
Why is Trump in a hurry to push through the plan? Some commentators suggest Trump is rushing for a breakthrough due to other political setbacks elsewhere. For instance, Iran is not going the way he wanted; his attempts to separate the Lebanese file from the memorandum of understanding did not succeed; and the issuance of a statement condemning Israel’s rejection of the peace plan by eight Arab and Muslim countries—Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, Qatar, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Turkey—has made Trump nervous, alongside his impending defeat in the November midterm elections at home.
The meeting with Hamas leaders in Egypt by Kushner is an admission by Washington that they are a political force in Palestinian society. Although Israel attempts to sideline them as a terrorist organization, the U.S. admits they are the only ones who matter in any peace negotiation. Adel Shadid, an expert in Israeli affairs, stated:
“The Cairo talks are a profound strategic shift that would be deeply unnerving for Israeli leadership. This shows a shift in the American position. Hamas is no longer the problem in the American reading but rather a part of the solution.”
He opines that
“this dynamic contradicts one of the most important goals of the war, represented by the eradication of Hamas—not only militarily but also politically.”
The final takeaway is that the Board of Peace is an eyewash. It is yet another step to reinforce colonialism, racial injustice, and fossil capitalism, combining to produce the deadly and dehumanizing forces of empire and capital. The struggle of Palestinians is a fight against eco-apartheid, militarism, and capitalist extraction. A network of anti-colonial solidarity is indispensable. The U.S.-Israeli imperialist design in the region must be fought by defeating the very forces that produce such conditions, no matter how intense the suffering. Pablo Neruda’s words—
“You can cut all the flowers, but you can’t keep Spring coming”
—reverberate in the hearts of all freedom-loving people who stand with the Palestinian people.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect (North London News) editorial policy.
