“Always negotiating”: how Trump’s son-in-law unlocked the agreement between Israel and Hamas

WASHINGTON — Last Friday (3), when Jared Kushner learned that Hamas would begin negotiations to release Israeli hostages, he was answering calls at his mansion, located on an artificial island north of Miami. Kushner got into his car and drove 20 minutes to another mansion — this one belonging to billionaire Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump’s special envoy for peace in the Middle East.

In those crucial moments, the Trump administration’s center of diplomatic power was not in Washington but in one of Florida’s wealthiest enclaves.

The two real estate businessmen, tasked with closing a deal that represented a centerpiece of Trump’s foreign policy ambitions, set up a command center, where they made and received calls from interested parties, including an impatient president and members of the Israeli government’s cabinet.

The stage for a peace deal had been set earlier that week when Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed with Trump on a 20-point proposal to seek a deal.

With terms largely favorable to Israel, it was not yet known whether Hamas would accept to sign and agree to release the hostages or give up control of the enclave. As the deadline for Hamas’ response approached, Trump warned the group’s fighters that thousands had already been killed and that many more would be if they did not accept the deal.

Hours later, Hamas announced that it would begin negotiations to release the hostages.

While working alongside Witkoff in Miami, Kushner advised Israelis not to worry about the rest of Hamas’ statement, which did little to alleviate concerns that the group would refuse to hand over its weapons or give up political control of the Gaza Strip. Kushner focused on the first part of the statement, which indicated the hostages could return home soon.

“Steve and I told Israel, ‘We encourage you to be positive too,’” Kushner recalled in an interview. In the calls, the Israelis stated that Hamas would reject any agreement. “’This is a time to be positive,’” he reiterated.

Hours later, Netanyahu’s office announced that it would agree to begin the first phase of Trump’s peace plan.

In trying to end the war between Israel and Hamas, Trump did not turn to experienced diplomats. His aides say he is not immersed in the details of a long-term peace deal. Instead, he relied on his son-in-law, Kushner, to push forward the negotiations, which Witkoff had been conducting for months.

“You are always negotiating”

Kushner, 44, built diplomatic relations with Arab countries while serving as an adviser in Trump’s first term. He was one of the main architects of the Abraham Accords, which normalized relations between Israel and three Arab countries, giving him an understanding of the complexities of the region and the main actors.

Last Tuesday (7), Kushner traveled to Egypt with Witkoff and made progress. The pair joined mediators who had already been working for days to convince Hamas to disarm and hand over Israeli hostages captured after terrorist attacks two years ago.

During the flight, the two discussed strategies to prevent the agreement from falling apart and how to save it if it did. Kushner usually works out plans while Witkoff works on the phone.

Hours after arriving in Egypt, Trump announced that Israel and Hamas had reached an agreement that could end a two-year conflict that began when Hamas attacked Israel, killing some 1,200 people and kidnapping approximately 250 hostages. Since then, according to local health authorities, the Israeli Army has killed more than 67,000 Palestinians, including civilians and combatants.

“Jared is a very smart guy,” Trump said this Thursday (9).

Trained in the tough negotiations of the New York real estate market, Kushner and Witkoff see themselves as negotiators working for the “ultimate negotiator.” The approach is simple: get to “yes” first and work out the details later. In recent days, they have traveled together through Miami, the country and now the world, in search of peace. The reconstruction of Gaza is also in the plans.

“The experience that Steve and I have as negotiators is that you have to understand people,” Kushner said. “You need to extract what is essential for them and identify who is playing, and how far it is possible to press.”

He added: “Many who do this are history teachers or diplomats. It’s different being a negotiator — it’s another sport.”

Diplomacy and business

Kushner has received bipartisan praise for his role in the negotiations, but as an unpaid volunteer he is not subject to the same laws and transparency requirements as a public official. He maintains extensive business interests in the Middle East, enriching himself while building diplomatic relations with leaders in the region. Critics say it circumvents bureaucratic safeguards against conflicts of interest.

When asked about possible problems, the White House denied any irregularities.

“It is frankly despicable to suggest that it is inappropriate for Jared Kushner, widely respected around the world and with great trust and relationships with critical partners, to craft a comprehensive 20-point peace plan that no other administration could achieve,” spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said.

Kushner’s private equity firm, Affinity Partners, is funded almost entirely by foreign investors and has received funding from sovereign wealth funds in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

“For the next phase of this deal to be successful, Jared Kushner needs to stop treating it like a real estate deal and start focusing on political and human rights issues,” said Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen.

Kushner was an unpaid senior adviser to Trump in his first term, as was his wife, Ivanka Trump. Both faced criticism for not moderating the president’s positions, especially on immigration.

Over time, relations improved. Kushner began to work on issues such as prison reform and normalization of relations between Israel and Arab countries. After leaving the White House, his company profited from these connections. His father, Charles Kushner, received a presidential pardon for tax crimes and other offenses and is now the US ambassador to France.

“The right time”

Kushner remains close to Trump as a volunteer adviser and has embraced the president’s instinctive style for seeking peace in Gaza.

About eight months ago, he began working with former British Prime Minister Tony Blair on plans for a post-war period in the region. In August, he met with Trump and his top advisers to discuss the future of the Gaza Strip. Since then, it has become a key player in negotiations, working alongside Israel and Arab countries.

“This is a lot more than I imagined,” Kushner said. “I think there’s a chance that when I get home, my wife will change the locks.”