Hamas Leader and US Envoy Meet in Egypt

Hamas leader Khalil Al-Hayya met with U.S. envoy Jared Kushner in Egypt on Sunday, marking the second high-profile encounter between the two. These direct negotiations represent a departure from traditional U.S. policy, which has historically avoided engagement with Hamas.

Al-Hayya, who assumed overall leadership of Hamas in July, previously led a delegation in October 2025 that negotiated with Kushner and envoy Steve Witkoff to secure a ceasefire and the release of hostages. Under this leadership, Hamas agreed in July to a plan backed by Donald Trump to surrender its weapons to a U.S.-supported Palestinian technocratic government in exchange for an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

The Cabinet of Israel has rejected the proposal, maintaining that full disarmament must occur before any withdrawal from the territory. Al-Hayya has countered by demanding the establishment of a Palestinian state in accordance with international law as a prerequisite for regional stability.