Jared Kushner is back in the White House spotlight, sitting in on a closed-door meeting about what Gaza could look like after the war. Kushner, Donald Trump’s son-in-law and former senior adviser, played a big role in brokering the 2020 Abraham Accords. Even though he doesn’t hold an official role this time around, CNN has reported that he’s been quietly advising the president on Middle East issues for months.
The 90-minute session on Wednesday pulled in big names. Along with Kushner, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and special envoy Steve Witkoff were all there. The New York Times says two sources confirmed the meeting, though Kushner didn’t respond to questions about it. Blair, who now runs a nonprofit called The Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, and Kushner were brought in for their views on what governing Gaza might look like without Hamas.
A White House spokesperson told Axios, “President Trump has been clear that he wants the war to end, and he wants peace and prosperity for everyone in the region. The White House has nothing additional to share on the meeting at this time.”
Kushner’s ties to the region aren’t only political. After leaving government, he became a major investor in the Middle East, including holding the biggest stake in Israeli insurance and finance company The Phoenix Holdings.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is under heavy pressure at home. Protesters are demanding he agree to a ceasefire and hostage release deal. Despite that, Netanyahu appears set on continuing a war that has stretched on for nearly two years.
Ahead of Wednesday’s meeting, Witkoff went on Fox News to hint at what was coming. He described a “large meeting” led by Trump that would focus on plans for “the day after” the conflict ends.
“It is a very comprehensive plan we are putting together on the next day [in Gaza],” Witkoff told host Brett Baier on Special Report. “I think many people are going to see how robust it is and how well-meaning it is, and it reflects President Trump’s humanitarian motives here.”
He also gave a glimpse into the ongoing ceasefire talks. “There needs to be a deal; there needs to be hostages sent home. Every time we see a hostage released we see jubilation on both sides,” he said.
Witkoff suggested progress is possible, hinting at movement from Hamas. “We think that we’re going to settle this one way or another, certainly by the end of the year. Hamas is now signaling they are open to a settlement. The Israelis are funding $600 million of aid to go into Gaza, they also announced they were open to continuing discussions with Hamas.”
With Kushner and Blair back in the mix and Trump pushing for what his team calls a humanitarian plan, the focus is shifting to what comes after the fighting. But for now, the war keeps dragging on while pressure builds on leaders in both Israel and Gaza to strike a deal.