How Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner helped broker a Gaza breakthrough

Jared Kushner

When news came that Hamas was willing to begin talks on releasing Israeli hostages, Jared Kushner was not in Washington but in Miami. Working alongside billionaire Steve Witkoff, Trump’s envoy to the Middle East, the pair set up a makeshift command centre. From there, they fielded calls with President Trump, Israeli cabinet members, and regional officials. Within days, Israel’s government agreed to the first phase of Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan, the New York Times reported.

The ‘deal guy’ approach

Kushner, 44, leaned on the skills he honed in New York City real estate: focus on getting to “yes” first, and work out the details later. He advised Israel to treat Hamas’s initial signals as a breakthrough, even if other parts of the group’s statement were unpromising. “This is a time to be positive,” he told them. The strategy mirrored his role in negotiating the Abraham Accords during Trump’s first term, when he built connections with Arab leaders and positioned himself as a trusted intermediary.

From real estate to diplomacy

Critics argue that Kushner is not a diplomat but a businessman with conflicts of interest, since his private equity firm Affinity Partners is largely financed by Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds. Still, his defenders say his personal ties and willingness to improvise proved decisive. Former Israeli ambassador Michael Herzog called his intervention “the right timing,” while even Democrats such as Thomas Nides, who served under Biden, acknowledged Kushner’s role in shaping the deal.

Trump’s instinctive foreign policy

The Gaza breakthrough underscores Trump’s unconventional reliance on family and close allies over career diplomats. The president has often favoured gut instinct over structured negotiations, and Kushner has become central to carrying out that approach. Together with Witkoff, he joined mediators in Egypt to convince Hamas to disarm and free the remaining hostages taken after the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks. Hours after their arrival, Trump announced an agreement had been reached.

Controversy over conflicts of interest

Kushner’s business dealings remain a flashpoint. His firm has raised money from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE, prompting questions over whether his diplomatic role blurs into private profit. The White House has dismissed such criticism, calling his work “historic” and vital to securing peace. But some in Congress argue he must separate business from diplomacy if the agreement is to hold.

What comes next

The Gaza deal still faces hurdles, particularly over Hamas’s political control and the reconstruction of the enclave. Kushner has been working with former British prime minister Tony Blair on postwar plans. Whether his unconventional style can deliver a lasting peace remains

uncertain, but for now, his “deal guy” instincts have brought Trump one step closer to a landmark Middle East agreement.