The war in the Middle East and the tension around Iran have triggered large-scale secret processes on the international stage.
While masked oil operations worth billions are taking place in the Persian Gulf, the future of Gaza is being decided in Cairo through shocking direct contacts at the highest level.
Cairo sensation: Jared Kushner negotiates with Hamas
In parallel with the oil crisis, a historic and unexpected diplomatic meeting was held in Egypt. The US special envoy and son-in-law of President Donald Trump – Jared Kushner – held direct talks with Hamas political leader Khalil al-Haya, world agencies, including Al Jazeera, reported.
The meeting, organized by Egyptian intelligence, also included former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and diplomats from Qatar and Turkey. Kushner has pressed the Palestinians to accept the final parameters of the American peace plan, which calls for the complete removal of Hamas from governing Gaza. For his part, Trump has already warned that not a single dollar will be allocated for the reconstruction of the enclave if the group retains control of a region.
Axios: Hamas agrees to hand over its weapons
The biggest surprise comes from a report by Axios, according to which Hamas has officially supported the 15-point "roadmap" proposed by the United States for a phased disarmament over the coming months.
The group has declared its readiness to hand over its heavy and light weapons to a newly formed Technocratic National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, controlled by international stabilization forces. Axios sources say that the talks in Cairo were "extremely productive", with the Hamas delegation personally asking Kushner to assure the White House of their commitment to peace.
However, the main obstacle to the agreement remains Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He categorically rejected Washington's plan, arguing that the Israeli army will not withdraw from any position in Gaza until the complete disarmament of the extremists becomes a real, verified fact on the ground. Regional powers such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan have already accused Tel Aviv of deliberately shaming peace.
"Shadow Fleet" of the Arabian Peninsula Saves Oil Prices
A major Bloomberg investigation has revealed that Middle Eastern countries are secretly transporting huge amounts of crude oil through the Strait of Hormuz. Commercial supertankers are mass-switching off their transponders and "blacking out" for longer periods of time to avoid Iranian attacks.
According to media sources, the hidden transit exceeds 4 million barrels per day, literally saving the global economy from an inflationary shock. This constant secret flow has kept the price of Brent crude between $80 and $90 a barrel, despite the ongoing military conflict. The UAE state-owned company (Abu Dhabi National Oil Co.) has even begun shipping Iraqi oil through this secret scheme, transferring the cargo to other ships in the Gulf of Oman.