Washington, DC – Two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters that US envoys Steve Wittkopf, the special envoy, and Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, arrived in Israel for talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The discussions focused primarily on the future of the Gaza Strip, amid renewed US efforts to advance a ceasefire agreement.
Trump’s vision for a ceasefire
According to the sources, the visit comes at a sensitive time, marked by frequent clashes in the Strip.
It also coincides with Washington’s unveiling last Thursday of ambitious plans to rebuild what it called a “new Gaza” from scratch.
These plans include the construction of modern residential towers, data centers, and beachfront resorts,
part of a vision announced by President Trump aimed at solidifying the ceasefire
between Israel and the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and paving the way for a post-war period.
On the ground, the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza announced that three people,
including two children, were killed by Israeli fire in two separate incidents in the northern Gaza Strip.
The Israeli military said in a statement that its forces spotted armed men who “crossed the yellow line, planted an explosive device,
and approached soldiers, posing a direct threat to them,” adding that its forces responded to the threat.
Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip
The ceasefire agreement stipulates the withdrawal of Israeli forces to the so-called “yellow line” marked on military maps, which runs the length of the Gaza Strip.
Meanwhile, an Israeli military source told Reuters that the army was aware of only one incident that occurred today, confirming that no children were involved.
The Gaza Health Ministry reported that the death toll since the start of the war has risen to 71,654,
while the number of deaths since the ceasefire went into effect last October has reached 481.
A spokesperson for the Israeli Prime Minister’s office confirmed
that a meeting with US envoys is scheduled, without providing further details.
These developments come as Washington, according to previous statements, continues to prepare for the second phase of its plan,
which is expected to involve a broader Israeli withdrawal from the Strip
and Hamas relinquishing control of Gaza, within the framework of new political and security arrangements.
