US envoys meets Israeli prime minister for Gaza ceasefire talks

ISTANBUL / JERUSALEM

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with US Special Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, to discuss a Gaza ceasefire deal and the latest regional developments.

“Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met with the prime minister today and discussed current developments in the region,” government spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian said Monday.

She said US Vice President JD Vance will visit Israel for several days and meet with Netanyahu, without specifying a date.

Witkoff and Kushner arrived in Israel early Monday for talks with Israeli officials on the implementation of the Gaza ceasefire deal with Hamas.

According to the daily Haaretz, talks between Netanyahu and the US envoys focused on issues related to the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, such as the establishment of a multinational force in Gaza, the withdrawal of the Israeli army from the enclave, and the disarmament of Hamas.

The discussions, Haaretz said, also aimed to lay the groundwork for Vance’s forthcoming visit to Israel.

The US vice president is expected to arrive in Israel on Tuesday to discuss matters related to the Gaza ceasefire deal, according to Israeli media.

On Sept. 29, Trump publicly presented a 20-point plan for Gaza, which included an immediate ceasefire and the phased release of hostages and prisoners.

Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas both agreed to the first phase of the deal, which took effect on Oct. 10. The deal was brokered with the help of mediators from the US, Türkiye, Qatar, and Egypt.

Since October 2023, Israel’s genocidal war has killed more than 68,200 people and injured more than 170,000, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.