US envoy Kushner calls Israeli government 'irrational' on Gaza amid ceasefire violations

US envoy Jared Kushner on Sunday described the Israeli government as "a little irrational" regarding Gaza due to domestic political pressure ahead of upcoming elections.

Kushner, who is serving as the administration's envoy for the Gaza peace roadmap, made the comments during a press briefing in Kyiv.

He said that while Washington agrees with Israel on "the end state for Gaza," the country's "crazy elections" have influenced its decision-making. Kushner emphasized that the US is "very determined" and actively working through political difficulties in Israel.

The remarks follow recent discussions in which Kushner reportedly urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to avoid hindering the Trump administration's peace plan. Reports indicated that the US envoy explicitly told Netanyahu to "not create obstacles" to the implementation of the peace board's roadmap.

Israel is scheduled to hold a general election for the 26th Knesset, the country's unicameral national legislature, on Oct. 27. Recent polling released by public broadcaster KAN showed Netanyahu's Likud party losing support, capturing only 20 of 120 seats if the vote were held today.

Since Israel launched its genocidal war on the Gaza Strip in October 2023, more than 73,000 Palestinians have been killed and more than 174,000 injured, according to Palestinian figures.

Meanwhile, Israel continues to violate the ceasefire agreement in effect in the Gaza Strip since Oct. 10, 2025. Israeli violations of the agreement have killed 1,344 Palestinians and injured 4,464 others, according to the latest figures from Gaza's Health Ministry.