Senior US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were in Israel on Saturday for meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with discussions focused largely on the future of Gaza, according to two people briefed on the visit.
The talks come days after Washington unveiled plans for a “New Gaza,” a sweeping reconstruction proposal that envisions new housing, data centres and coastal developments.
Ceasefire Efforts and Reconstruction Plan
The reconstruction concept is tied to President Donald Trump’s push to sustain an October ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian armed group Hamas. That truce has been repeatedly strained by alleged violations on the ground.
Earlier this month, US officials said the initiative had entered a second phase, under which Israeli forces are expected to pull back further from Gaza while Hamas relinquishes control of the territory’s civil administration.
Reports of New Fatalities in Northern Gaza
Despite the ceasefire, local authorities reported fresh bloodshed. Gaza’s health ministry said Israeli fire killed three people on Saturday, including two children, in separate incidents in the north of the enclave.
The Israeli military said its troops identified militants who crossed a demarcation known as the “Yellow Line,” planted an explosive device and moved toward soldiers, posing what it described as an immediate threat. Under the ceasefire terms, Israeli forces were to withdraw to that line, which runs across much of Gaza.
An Israeli military source told Reuters that only one incident was recorded on Saturday and that those involved were not children.
Conflicting Accounts as Death Toll Rises
According to Gaza health ministry figures, the total number of people killed since the war began has reached 71,654, with 481 deaths reported since the October ceasefire. Reuters could not independently verify the figures.
A spokesperson for Netanyahu’s office confirmed the meeting with the US envoys was scheduled but declined to provide further details.
War’s Devastation Frames Talks
Gaza has suffered widespread destruction since the conflict erupted following Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel, which killed about 1,200 people, according to Israeli counts.
As diplomatic efforts continue, the discussions in Israel underscore the challenge of shaping Gaza’s future amid ongoing security incidents and deep disagreements over the ceasefire’s implementation.