Jerusalem, Israel - President Donald Trump's envoy Jared Kushner met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday after holding talks with Hamas leaders to revive a US-backed Gaza peace plan.
The meeting came a day after Kushner met with representatives for Hamas in Egypt and two weeks after the group endorsed the latest stage of Trump's Gaza plan, which Netanyahu has refused to support.
Israel's leader last week rejected the 15-point-plan, vowing that his country's military will not withdraw from Gaza "until Hamas is genuinely disarmed."
A diplomatic official confirmed to AFP that the meeting in Jerusalem begun late Monday morning.
Kushner – Trump's son-in-law – met Hamas's new leader Khalil al-Hayya in the Egyptian Mediterranean city of El-Alamein on Sunday, sources with knowledge of the discussions told the AFP.
Kushner demanded the group verify it is giving up its weapons, a key sticking point for Netanyahu. He also demanded that Hamas renounce any future role in governing the Palestinian territory, sources said.
Netanyahu is expected to meet behind closed doors with Kushner, who has long family connections with the Israeli leader, as well as Nickolay Mladenov, the high representative for Gaza on Trump's Board of Peace responsible for implementing the plan.
Israeli media reported that former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, now a senior Board of Peace official, is also attending the talks.
A Hamas official said the group told Kushner it was committed to the Gaza plan and wanted to exert pressure on Netanyahu.
"Hamas is demanding that the US administration… pressure Netanyahu's government to adhere to and implement the roadmap agreement.," the Hamas official told AFP.
"Hamas is awaiting the US administration's response regarding Israel's position on the agreement."