Eight Muslim-majority countries condemn Israel's rejection of Trump Gaza roadmap as Kushner meets Hamas

The foreign ministries of eight countries — the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Egypt — issued a joint statement on Sunday condemning Israel's rejection of the Gaza Board of Peace's 15-point roadmap for implementing US President Donald Trump's peace plan, as Trump's special envoy Jared Kushner held meetings in Egypt with Hamas representatives and regional mediators.

According to the Jerusalem Post, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu formally rejected the proposed plan on August 9 during a cabinet meeting, stating that 'the IDF will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is genuinely disarmed.' The Board of Peace plan, detailed by BoP head Nickolay Mladenov in May, outlined that Hamas disarmament and IDF withdrawal would occur in stages as progress is verified.

On July 30, Hamas said it would hand over its weapons to a new Palestinian governing body as part of the latest stage in a Gaza ceasefire declared by Trump, according to ABC News Australia. Trump described the agreement as a 'major milestone.' Netanyahu expressed opposition to the plan even after he was reportedly assured by Gaza's representative on Trump's Board of Peace that Israel would not need to withdraw troops until Hamas completed disarmament, according to ABC News Australia.

The joint statement from the eight foreign ministers said that 'rejecting the Road Map constitutes an explicit refusal to proceed with the implementation of the Comprehensive Plan, and directly threatens to derail the extensive efforts exerted by US President Trump to bring an end to the war in Gaza and establish the conditions for lasting peace.' The statement further held that 'Israel bears direct and full responsibility for any consequences resulting from its continued rejection, obstruction, delay or non-compliance, including any resulting deterioration of the situation on the ground and disruption of ending the war in Gaza.'

The ministers also called on the United States to 'enforce Israel's full compliance with the commitments and arrangements envisaged under the Comprehensive Plan,' according to the Jerusalem Post. They asserted that full and immediate implementation of the plan is urgent and necessary to provide security and safety for Gazans.

According to ABC News Australia, Kushner flew to Egypt ahead of expected talks on Monday in Jerusalem. A Hamas source told AFP, requesting anonymity to discuss sensitive diplomacy, that mediators informed Hamas that Kushner would hold a meeting with Hamas leadership in the presence of Egyptian and Qatari officials before Kushner travels to Israel to meet Netanyahu. ABC News Australia reported that sources told AFP Kushner met with Hamas representatives on Sunday evening, local time. Kushner also met with mediators from Egypt, Qatar and Turkey, as well as Nickolay Mladenov, according to Egypt's government, as reported by ABC News Australia.

According to ABC News Australia, Hamas chief Khalil al-Hayya was also in Egypt, travelling late on Saturday to the Mediterranean city of El-Alamein in what was described as his first trip since taking over the Gaza-based movement last month. A second Hamas source said the United States had sought clarifications from the group on several points, including 'genuine, rather than merely symbolic, collection, consolidation and storage of weapons, as well as Hamas's complete relinquishment of governance of Gaza,' according to ABC News Australia.

Talks took place despite Israeli forces intensifying strikes within Gaza. The Israeli military said on Sunday that its aircraft struck two Islamic Jihad and Hamas militants in Khan Younis and Nuseirat. At least five Palestinians were injured in the strike, which hit a tent encampment, according to medics in the enclave cited by ABC News Australia.

Where sources differ

• ABC News Australia describes the joint statement as coming from 'five Arab countries together with Türkiye, Pakistan and Indonesia,' implying five Arab nations, while both sources list the same eight countries in total: UAE, Qatar, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Indonesia, Pakistan and Turkey. ABC News Australia's count of 'five Arab countries' does not align with the six Arab-majority states listed (UAE, Qatar, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and potentially Indonesia depending on classification), though both sources agree on the same eight-country list.
• ABC News Australia refers to Netanyahu as facing 'a tough re-election fight in October,' a characterisation not present in the Jerusalem Post.

• No direct statement or response from Jared Kushner or the US government regarding the joint condemnation or the outcome of the meetings is provided in either source.
• The specific content or outcome of Kushner's meetings with Hamas and with Netanyahu are not established.
• The exact nature of the 'clarifications' the United States sought from Hamas and Hamas's responses to those clarifications are not detailed.
• The current status or timeline of the broader Trump Gaza ceasefire plan beyond the events described is not established.
• The identity or mandate of 'Gaza's representative on Mr Trump's Board of Peace' who allegedly assured Netanyahu about troop withdrawal is not named in either source.
• Neither source independently verifies the claimed assurances given to Netanyahu regarding troop withdrawal conditions.
• The position of the United States government on the joint statement calling for it to enforce Israeli compliance is not reported in either source.

1. ABC News Australia — original
2. The Jerusalem Post — by GOLDIE KATZ

Read the original at ABC News Australia

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