Kushner's Gaza Initiative Draws Skepticism From Both Sides During Regional Tour

When Jared Kushner, the White House adviser, sat

When Jared Kushner, the White House adviser, sat down with Hamas officials in Cairo and then flew to Jerusalem for talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he carried a 15-point plan for Gaza that the Trump administration hopes will break the cycle of violence. But the proposal, unveiled during his first major diplomatic swing through the region, has been met with deep wariness from Palestinians and Israelis alike, each side questioning its feasibility and motives.

Palestinian leaders in Gaza privately describe the plan as a thinly veiled attempt to legitimize the blockade, pointing to provisions that would tie reconstruction to the disarmament of militant groups—a condition they call unrealistic without a broader political horizon. "They ask us to give up our weapons, but they offer nothing on the occupation or the right of return," said a senior Hamas-affiliated official who requested anonymity. Publicly, however, Hamas has kept its response measured, waiting to see if the US can translate its promises into concrete actions.

Across the border, Israeli officials are equally unconvinced. Prime Minister Netanyahu's office has stressed that any deal must guarantee Israel's security, but analysts note that the proposal's call for a Hamas role in Gaza's governance—even a technocratic one—runs against the official Israeli stance of isolating the group. "There is a fundamental contradiction here," said Michael Oren, a former Israeli ambassador to the US. "The plan asks Israel to accept what it has always rejected, while offering no clear mechanism to prevent Hamas from rearming."

The skepticism is not just political; it is

The skepticism is not just political; it is also economic. The plan's promise of billions in international aid, funneled through a new fund managed by the World Bank, has yet to secure commitments from Gulf states, many of whom are watching the US's approach to Iran and human rights before writing checks. "Money talks, but right now it's only whispering," one European diplomat in Jerusalem remarked.

Kushner, for his part, has urged patience, framing the plan as a starting point rather than a final document. During his meetings, he reportedly emphasized that the US is prepared to apply pressure on all parties if needed, though he offered few details on how that pressure would work in practice. His team has scheduled follow-up visits in the coming weeks, but with the plan's credibility already under strain, the road ahead looks steep.

For ordinary residents of Gaza, who have endured three wars in a decade, the latest initiative is just another piece of paper. "We have seen so many plans, so many conferences," said a shop owner in Gaza City, who asked not to be named. "They come, they talk, they leave, and we are still here with no electricity and no jobs." The sentiment sums up why both political leaderships are hesitant to embrace a proposal that, for now, offers more hope than substance.