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A meeting between US envoy Jared Kushner and Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya concluded in El Alamein, Egypt, on Sunday (local time) as mediators stepped up efforts to revive US President Donald Trump's Gaza peace initiative, CNN reported, citing sources familiar with the matter.
The talks also involved Board of Peace Director Nickolay Mladenov. The meeting came amid renewed diplomatic efforts to bridge differences over the proposed ceasefire and post-war framework for Gaza after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected key elements of the US-backed proposal last week. Kushner has also held discussions with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and is expected to consult with other regional leaders, including Netanyahu, as efforts continue to revive the proposed framework. The meeting between Kushner and al-Hayya marked a rare direct engagement between a senior US envoy and Hamas leadership and came as mediators seek to advance negotiations aimed at ending the conflict in Gaza. Meanwhile, the foreign ministers of Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Egypt issued a joint statement on Sunday condemning Israel's rejection of the roadmap linked to Trump's peace plan. The ministers warned that rejecting the framework could undermine international efforts to end the war and establish a lasting political settlement in Gaza. On August 5, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly rejected a draft proposal put forward by US President Donald Trump's administration regarding the disarmament and demilitarisation of Gaza, insisting that Israeli forces will not withdraw from their positions until Hamas is completely disarmed. In a video statement posted on Instagram, Netanyahu emphasised Israel's uncompromising position on national security and military presence in the Gaza Strip. "I stand firm on our security interests," Netanyahu said. "We will not withdraw from our current lines until Hamas is completely disarmed." According to the Palestinian news agency, WAFA, Israel has continued attacks in Gaza. (ANI)
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