Washington, DC – US Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Wittkopf, said that the United States held “constructive and positive”
talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding the second phase of President Donald Trump’s peace plan for the Gaza Strip.
This plan includes approximately 20 points.
Wittkopf explained in a post on the X platform on Sunday that relations between Washington and Tel Aviv
are “strong and longstanding,” based on “close coordination and shared priorities.”
He emphasized that the two sides reached an agreement during the meetings on the next steps.
In addition, he stressed the importance of continuing cooperation on vital issues related to the security and stability of the region.
Political and security complexities
The US envoy indicated that the talks were held on Saturday, without disclosing further details regarding
the terms of the second phase of the plan or the expected timeline for its implementation.
He merely confirmed the continuation of US-Israeli coordination on this matter.
These statements come amidst US efforts to advance the ceasefire agreement
between Israel and the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas).
This occurs against a backdrop of political and security complexities that continue to surround the situation
in the Gaza Strip, more than two years after the outbreak of the war.
The war left widespread destruction and a severe humanitarian crisis.
Intensive talks
The US administration had previously announced a comprehensive plan for the reconstruction of Gaza, dubbed “New Gaza,”
which includes rebuilding infrastructure from scratch, constructing residential towers, service facilities, and data centers.
In addition, the plan involves tourism projects along the Mediterranean coast. This is part of a vision aimed at achieving long-term stability in the Strip.
Washington stated that the plan entered its second phase earlier this month.
This phase is supposed to include a further withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza in exchange for new security
and political arrangements, including ending Hamas’s control over the administration of the Strip.
In this context, informed sources reported that US envoys Steve Wittkopf and Jared Kushner held intensive talks with the Israeli leadership in recent days.
These talks focused primarily on the future of Gaza and the mechanisms for implementing the next phase of the US plan.
This comes at a time when violence continues and accusations are exchanged regarding ceasefire violations.
