Key facts
- Jared Kushner met with Hamas officials in Cairo on Sunday.
- Kushner is scheduled to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday.
- The meetings aim to advance a U.S. peace plan for Gaza.
- Donald Trump announced Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan signed a Mecca Joint Defence Agreement.
- Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz slowed over the weekend due to attacks on vessels.
- The Israeli army is planning for a potential escalation in Lebanon.
Jared Kushner, a special envoy for President Donald Trump, met with Hamas officials, including political chief Khalil al-Hayya, in Cairo on Sunday as part of efforts to advance a U.S. peace plan for Gaza. Kushner also met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. This marks Kushner's second known meeting with Hamas representatives.
Kushner is scheduled to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday. Trump posted on Truth Social that Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan have signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, suggesting a strengthening of regional alliances. Meanwhile, shipping through the Strait of Hormuz slowed over the weekend following attacks on vessels, and a senior IRGC commander warned of strategic surprises from Iran. The Israeli army is reportedly planning for a possible escalation in Lebanon, and Yemen's government announced artillery attacks against the Houthis.
Previous meetings between Kushner and Hamas, alongside U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, reportedly helped secure a ceasefire and hostage release in October 2025. Trump had announced a deal for Hamas's disarmament in late July, but Netanyahu has publicly rejected the proposal, and Hamas's agreement is conditional on Israeli commitments.