Senior U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner traveled to Israel on Saturday for high-level talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, focusing on Gaza’s future, border access, and the next phase of Washington’s ceasefire initiative.
The visit comes as the United States pushes forward with plans for a sweeping reconstruction and political transition in Gaza, part of President Donald Trump’s broader effort to stabilize the territory and sustain a fragile Israel-Hamas ceasefire that has faced repeated violations.
On Thursday, Washington formally unveiled plans for a rebuilt Gaza — dubbed the “New Gaza” project — envisioning residential towers, data centers, and seaside resorts, according to U.S. officials. The proposal is designed to anchor long-term stability while advancing the ceasefire framework between Israel and Hamas.
The Israeli prime minister’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the envoys’ visit or the reconstruction plan.
Earlier this month, the U.S. announced that the ceasefire process had entered its second phase. Under the framework, Israel is expected to further withdraw troops from Gaza, while Hamas is set to relinquish administrative control of the territory, according to U.S. and regional officials.
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Ali Shaath, head of a U.S.-backed transitional Palestinian committee designated to temporarily administer Gaza, said Thursday that the Rafah border crossing with Egypt would reopen next week.
The Rafah crossing serves as the primary route in and out of Gaza for most of the territory’s more than 2 million residents. It has been under Israeli military control on the Gaza side since 2024.
However, sources briefed on the matter said Israel intends to restrict the number of Palestinians entering Gaza through Rafah to ensure more people exit the territory than return, reflecting ongoing security concerns ahead of the crossing’s reopening.
The border was originally scheduled to reopen during the first phase of Trump’s ceasefire plan, under the truce reached in October between Israel and Hamas.
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According to Gaza’s health ministry, the total death toll since the October 7, 2023 attack now stands at 71,654, with 481 deaths recorded since the October ceasefire. These figures could not be independently verified, but similar data has been cited by Reuters, AP, and the BBC in ongoing coverage of the conflict.
Meanwhile, Trump also renewed warnings toward Iran on Thursday, saying the United States had an “armada” heading toward the region but expressing hope that force would not be necessary. He cautioned Tehran against killing protesters or reviving its nuclear weapons program, adding another layer of geopolitical tension to the region’s fragile stability.