Overview

• Kushner, working informally alongside special envoy Steve Witkoff, helped close the first stage of President Trump’s 20‑point plan aimed at pausing Israeli operations in Gaza and securing the release of 20 living hostages.
• He was dispatched to Sharm El Sheikh for final talks and then met Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, also sitting in on the Israeli cabinet meeting that approved the initial phase.
• Trump publicly credited Kushner’s role, while national security adviser and Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised the Kushner–Witkoff partnership as negotiations advanced.
• Kushner holds no official post but has deepened business ties in the Gulf through Affinity Partners, including participation in a $55 billion Electronic Arts purchase with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund and Silver Lake.
• Critics questioned potential conflicts and the reliance on outside envoys, though U.S. officials say the framework could facilitate broader regional normalization talks.