Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump's son‑in‑law and a central Middle East architect during the former president's first term, has quietly resumed a significant role shaping U.S. engagement on the Israel‑Gaza conflict, Daily Mail reported Tuesday.
According to people familiar with the matter and reported by Daily Mail, Kushner has been working outside a formal White House title on ceasefire negotiations and a so‑called "day‑after" plan for Gaza. The plan is said to be developed with former U.K. prime minister Tony Blair and reportedly would exclude both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority in favor of an alternative governing arrangement for the territory, the report said.
Daily Mail and people it cited said Kushner has joined White House envoy Steven Witkoff on regional outreach, including a recent Miami meeting with Ron Dermer, a senior adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Witkoff, a close Trump ally, has reportedly sent a draft ceasefire proposal to Hamas that would exchange all 48 remaining hostages for a halt to Israeli military operations and an end to occupation in Gaza, the Daily Mail report said.
Kushner served as senior adviser for Middle East policy in Trump's first term and played a leading role in negotiating the Abraham Accords. Supporters and some foreign officials view his experience as an asset: John Hannah, a senior fellow at the Jewish Institute for National Security of America, told Daily Mail that Kushner would bring "enormous advantages" to a postwar strategy because of his ability to secure buy‑in from regional leaders and his perceived authority speaking for the president.
"He would be seen by everyone as speaking with unrivaled authority on behalf of the president," Hannah said, according to the report. A person close to the president told Daily Mail, "It's a well‑known fact in this administration that real influence comes from being close to the president. Kushner wants to be involved, and Trump is letting him."
The White House did not provide a direct comment to Daily Mail on Kushner's current role; the outlet said it was directed to contact Affinity Partners, Kushner's Miami‑based investment firm. Kushner no longer holds a formal White House title, and the reappearance of his influence underscores an informal but longstanding pattern in which proximity to the president can yield significant sway over policy.
Kushner's expanding involvement comes amid scrutiny over the intersection of his private business interests and public policy work. The Daily Mail and other reports note ties between Kushner and the Witkoff family, including a partnership in the cryptocurrency firm World Liberty Financial, and Kushner's reported status as the largest investor in Israeli financial group Phoenix Holdings, which operates in insurance and asset management. Forbes recently estimated Kushner's net worth at just over $1 billion, up from about $900 million a year earlier.
Critics and some outside experts have warned that business relationships with foreign financiers can create potential conflicts when former officials engage in diplomacy. A former adviser quoted by Daily Mail said Kushner's long‑standing connections with Gulf financiers and leaders in countries such as Qatar and Israel have strengthened both his corporate opportunities and diplomatic reach.
Kushner's reemergence also follows several public appearances linking him to the president and other senior advisers. He was reportedly spotted with Witkoff and Trump at the U.S. Open tennis final; those appearances fueled speculation about Kushner's informal influence even as he remains outside the formal administration structure.
Those involved in the behind‑the‑scenes effort told Daily Mail that Kushner's work on the Gaza plan has been part‑time and conducted outside the West Wing. Some experts cautioned that a part‑time, unofficial role could limit the ability to marshal the resources and staff necessary for a complex diplomatic initiative. "The main drawback of being an outsider working part‑time while attending to a day job is not having enough time for such a complicated mission," one expert said to Daily Mail.
The president's envoy in the region, Witkoff, has been portrayed in the report as the leading official contact channeling draft proposals to Hamas and others. The draft proposal attributed to Witkoff would seek to trade hostages for a cessation of hostilities and shifts in governance, a course that would require broad regional agreement and face major political and logistical obstacles.
Kushner's role in Middle East diplomacy was central to Trump's first‑term foreign policy and remains a touchstone for regional partners familiar with his negotiating style. If he is again exercising influence, it would reflect both the informal power of presidential confidants and the administration's continued, if nontraditional, engagement in efforts to address the Israel‑Gaza crisis.
Requests for comment made by Daily Mail to Kushner's representatives and to the White House were referred to Affinity Partners, the report said. The White House did not elaborate on any official duties for Kushner or provide documentation of his involvement in formal negotiations.
The accounts published Tuesday portray an unofficial but active effort by Kushner and allies to shape potential pathways for a ceasefire and the period that would follow. Any durable resolution would require agreement among Israeli and Palestinian leaders and regional stakeholders, and would likely involve U.S. officials in formal capacities alongside outside advisers and envoys.
Kushner's reappearance in regional diplomacy highlights enduring questions about the role of former officials and private actors in foreign policy and how personal relationships and private business ties can influence high‑stakes international negotiations.