Trump envoy says heading to Middle East to oversee Gaza cease-fire compliance

Steve Witkoff says all countries in the region could get 'on board' to normalize ties with Israel; IDF liaison to Palestinians meets with Egyptian officials in Cairo to advance Gaza truce, focusing on reopening Rafah crossing under international oversight

U.S. President Donald Trump's Mideast envoy said on Wednesday he would travel to the Middle East to be part of what he described as an inspection team deployed in and along the Gaza Strip to ensure cease-fire compliance.
In an interview with Fox News, the envoy, Steve Witkoff, also said he believed all countries in the region could get "on board" to normalize ties with Israel. Asked to identify specific countries, he singled out Qatar, saying the Gulf country was a critical player in reaching the Gaza cease-fire deal.
3 View gallery
סטיב ויטקוף
סטיב ויטקוף
Steve Witkoff
(Photo: AP/Evan Vucci)
Meanwhile, Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), Maj. Gen. Ghassan Alian, met with Egyptian officials in Cairo on Wednesday to discuss the implementation of the next stage of the hostage deal and the Gaza cease-fire.
Topics included continued humanitarian aid deliveries and the future reopening of the Rafah crossing, as stipulated in the framework agreement.
Israel has agreed to allow 600 humanitarian aid trucks daily into Gaza under international oversight and to facilitate Rafah’s reopening as part of efforts to extend the deal and secure further hostage releases. The Defense Ministry emphasized that every truck entering Gaza undergoes Israeli security checks.
3 View gallery
 האלוף רסאן עליאן מתאם פעולות הממשלה בשטחים בישיבות עם גורמים בקהילה הבינלאומית
 האלוף רסאן עליאן מתאם פעולות הממשלה בשטחים בישיבות עם גורמים בקהילה הבינלאומית
Maj. Gen. Ghassan Alian
(Photo: COGAT)
Regarding Rafah’s reopening, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said that Palestinians crossing through the terminal in the future would require security clearance from the IDF and Shin Bet. “The crossing will be managed by Gazans unaffiliated with Hamas, vetted by Shin Bet, with oversight from the EU Border Assistance Mission (EUBAM),” the statement added.
Netanyahu and his Cabinet have ruled out official Palestinian Authority (PA) involvement at Rafah. Israeli security officials have been tasked with identifying Gazan administrators unaffiliated with both Hamas and the PA to manage the crossing alongside the international mission.
Get the Ynetnews app on your smartphone: Google Play: https://bit.ly/4eJ37pE | Apple App Store: https://bit.ly/3ZL7iNv
The crossing, previously controlled by Hamas, was destroyed by the IDF during operations in Rafah at the start of the war. Israel has firmly rejected any Hamas or Hamas-linked presence on the Gazan side of the crossing.
According to the Saudi daily Asharq Al-Awsat, Israeli intelligence chiefs Mossad Director David Barnea and Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar held extended talks in Cairo this week with Egyptian counterparts, including intelligence chief Hassan Rashad. The discussions reportedly focused on the management of Rafah and security along the Philadelphi Corridor, which stretches along the Gaza-Egypt border.
3 View gallery
מעבר רפיח מצרים משאית דלק מחכה להיכנס ל עזה
מעבר רפיח מצרים משאית דלק מחכה להיכנס ל עזה
Fuel tankers entering Gaza through Rafah crossing
(Photo: AFP)
A source from the joint cease-fire monitoring committee told the newspaper that “an agreement has been reached for the PA to manage the Palestinian side of Rafah, with international oversight by the UN.” However, no timeline for reopening the crossing has been finalized, and disagreements remain over security arrangements for the Philadelphi Corridor.
The talks, which began on Monday, continued into Tuesday morning. The Egyptian delegation included senior intelligence officials overseeing Palestinian affairs. “The remaining issues are technical and logistical, and they will be resolved,” the source said.
Rafah has been a key conduit for aid into Gaza but has been closed since its capture by Israeli forces earlier in the war.
<< Follow Ynetnews on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Telegram >>
Comments
The commenter agrees to the privacy policy of Ynet News and agrees not to submit comments that violate the terms of use, including incitement, libel and expressions that exceed the accepted norms of freedom of speech.
""