Hamas Leader Khalil Al-Hayya Heads To Cairo Ahead Of Kushner Visit

Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya is heading to Cairo for talks with Egyptian officials, ahead of a planned visit by US President Donald Trump's son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner, as per AFP.

Al-Hayya, who was elected Hamas's political bureau chief last month, has also been the group's leading negotiator in indirect talks over the Gaza ceasefire. His visit comes as Washington seeks to advance Trump's plan for ending the conflict and establishing a new framework for Gaza.

Cairo Talks

According to the report, the Hamas delegation is expected to hold discussions with Egyptian officials on the Gaza situation and efforts to advance the ceasefire process.

Kushner is also due in the region as part of US efforts to push the Gaza plan forward. US officials have been holding discussions with Egypt, Qatar and Turkey as mediators work to bridge differences between Israel and Hamas.

The talks come amid disagreements over the implementation of the plan, particularly Hamas's disarmament and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.

Hamas' Position

Hamas has expressed conditional support for Trump's broader Gaza plan but has continued to insist that Israeli forces withdraw from the territory and that Palestinian factions' weapons cannot be addressed separately from a wider political settlement.

Al-Hayya's participation gives the talks a senior Hamas representative who has played a central role in previous ceasefire negotiations.

His arrival in Cairo comes as the US seeks to move from an agreed framework towards implementation, with the status of Hamas's weapons and the future administration of Gaza among the most difficult issues still facing negotiators.