Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, close allies of President Donald Trump, arrived in Israel on Friday for talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli officials. The discussions focus on the war in Gaza and its political and security consequences, including the 20-point peace plan.
Sources say the U.S. envoys are assessing whether there is room for a lasting ceasefire and exploring ways to alleviate the humanitarian crisis while addressing regional security issues.
Behind the scenes, however, there is intense debate over the reopening of the Rafah border crossing and the return of the body of the last Israeli hostage, Ran Gvili—issues Israel has made key conditions for advancing the next phase of the agreement. According to Israeli sources, Israel will not support reopening the crossing until Hamas returns Gvili’s remains. Critics also accuse Witkoff of exerting lobbying pressure in favour of Qatar’s—and more broadly, Turkey’s—interests during the talks.
Before the visit, U.S. officials said the administration is working with Israel to secure the return of the last hostage’s body, but Israeli authorities argue that international pressure should focus on Hamas rather than on forcing an immediate border opening.
Earlier this month, Washington announced that the plan had entered its second phase, under which Israel is expected to withdraw troops from additional areas of Gaza, while Hamas must disarm and cede control of the territory’s administration—something Hamas has so far refused to do.
