Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump's envoy and son-in-law, defended the absence of progress in talks on the next phase of the Gaza ceasefire, describing the territory as a place that has been miserable for a long time.
اضافة اعلان
Speaking at a press conference in Ukraine, Kushner said the scale of Hamas's militarisation in the Palestinian territories was beyond what he and Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff had understood, which makes disarming the group difficult.
The two remain determined and are working to resolve the issues, according to Kushner.He also pointed to obstacles on the Israeli side. Work is under way on some of Israel's political problems, Kushner said, adding that he believes the two sides agree on the final status, and attributing the difficulty to a heated election campaign that he said makes Israeli politics irrational in certain respects.
A strike in western Gaza City
Palestinian health officials said an Israeli airstrike killed a man and his young daughter on Sunday.
Mohammed Abu Salmiya, director of Al-Shifa Hospital, the largest in the Strip, said the raid targeted a vehicle in western Gaza City, killing Youssef Akila and his eight-year-old daughter Wafaa and wounding six others.
An Israeli military spokesperson said forces had targeted a Hamas militant, and that the army was still assessing the results of the strike.
Since the ceasefire
The US-backed ceasefire that took effect in October 2025 halted major combat operations without stopping Israeli strikes, which Israel says are aimed at thwarting attacks by Hamas and other armed groups.
Hamas accuses Israel of violating the ceasefire and undermining implementation of the broader US plan to end the war, which also provides for an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and the disarmament of Hamas.
Health officials report that more than 1,300 Palestinians, most of them civilians, have been killed in Gaza since the ceasefire took effect. The Israeli military says four of its soldiers have been killed over the same period. Hamas does not usually release figures on casualties among its fighters.
Source: Al-Ghad, citing agencies.
