Jared Kushner Is in Egypt for Israel-Hamas Negotiations. Here’s Why That Matters.  

President Donald Trump has deployed son-in-law Jared Kushner to Egypt amid negations for a hostage deal and ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.  

Kushner is a staunch supporter of Israel and played a critical role in the negotiations of the Abraham Accords during the first Trump administration. His arrival is reported to suggest a final deal may be in sight.  

Merely having Kushner involved in the negotiations “increases the chances of the deal’s success,” according to Asher Fredman, who served as director for Israel at the Abraham Accords Pace Institute, which Kushner founded.  

The Abraham Accords, which were signed during Trump’s first administration, normalized relations between Israel and four other nations, Morocco, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Sudan, although the agreement with Sudan has been affected by the Sudanese civil war. The accords aim to foster peace and healthy trade relations between Israel and counties in the Middle East and North Africa, and are named after Abraham, a significant religious figure for Christians, Jews, and Muslims alike.   

Kushner, who arrived in Egypt late Tuesday night alongside Steve Witkoff, U.S. special envoy to the Middle East, has “strong ties” with Arab and Israeli mediators, said Fredman, who now serves as a visiting fellow at The Heritage Foundation. Kushner is “also the person most capable of leveraging the positive momentum surrounding the deal to revitalize the process of Abraham Accords expansion and integration,” he added.  

While Kushner is well-versed in Middle East negotiations, reaching a deal Israel and Hamas can both accept is not expected to be easy.  

Last week, Israel agreed to Trump’s 20-point peace plan to end the war between Hamas and Israel, disarm Hamas, and release hostages taken by Hamas. Hamas indicated it will accept parts of the deal, but said “details” need to be worked out.  

Mediators from the U.S., Qatar, and Turkey are currently working to finalize those “details,” but Hamas is reportedly making demands that Israel has previously labeled as nonstarters.  

Hamas is demanding a deal include the release of senior terrorists who Israel has said it won’t release, international guarantees to prevent future fighting, and deployment of an Arab security force to block Israel Defense Forces operations, the Jewish News Syndicate reports.  

Negotiations are focused on an end to the war, the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, and an exchange of Palestinian prisoners for hostages, according to The Jerusalem Post. 

The choice to involve Kushner, who has also previously served as a senior adviser to the president, reflects Trump’s “confidence” in Kushner’s judgment, according to Robert Greenway, director of The Heritage Foundation’s Allison Center for National Security.  

Greenway served as the first CEO of Kushner’s Abraham Accords Institute, which was absorbed into The Heritage Foundation earlier this year. Greenway, who was also on the National Security Council when the Abraham Accords were signed, oversaw the merger of the Abraham Accords Peace Institute into The Heritage Foundation.  

“Those of us lucky enough to be part of the team that helped negotiate the Abraham Accords and witness the president’s and Jared’s unique ability to navigate the complex challenges of the region to pursue our interests and those of our partners and allies, are confident in their ability to build on that foundation and succeed where others have failed,” Greenway said.  

“It’s no coincidence that the man most responsible for achieving the president’s vision for Middle East peace in the first term is building on the historically successful methods employed,” Greenway said of Kushner.  

Israel’s chief negotiator, Ron Dermer, also joined negotiations Wednesday, the third day of negotiations to reach a deal between Israel and Hamas.  

Israel declared war on Hamas after the radical Islamic terrorist group carried out an attack in Israel two years ago this week on Oct. 7, 2023, that left 1,200 people dead. Hamas took 251 hostages back to Gaza, 48 of whom remain captive there, of which only about 20 are thought to still be alive.  

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi has invited Trump to Egypt for the signing of the peace deal when it is reached.  

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