Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met on Saturday with a United States delegation, including Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and the architect of the White House’s Gaza initiative, Jared Kushner, to discuss the implementation of Trump’s 20-point plan to end the Gaza Conflict.
“The discussion was constructive and positive, with both sides aligned on next steps and the importance of continued cooperation on all matters critical to the region,” Witkoff posted to X on Saturday. Also joining the discussion were White House advisor Josh Gruenbaum and Senior Advisor Aryeh Lightstone.
The U.S. delegation reportedly intended to pressure Jerusalem into opening the Gaza Strip’s Rafah Crossing to Egypt, despite Hamas’s failure to retrieve the body of Israel Police Master Sgt. Ran Gvili, who died fighting terrorists on Oct. 7, 2023. His remains are the last held by the terror group.
In a statement issued by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, Gvili’s family said, “The pressure should not be on the Israeli government to continue fulfilling its part of the deal while Hamas deceives the entire world and refuses to return the last hostage in accordance with the agreement it signed.”
According to the Trump plan, Hamas is to return all living and dead hostages in Phase 1 before the commencement of Phase 2. However, U.S. President Donald Trump formally launched Phase 2 with the signing of the charter for the Board of Peace, a key body in his Gaza initiative, on Jan. 22.
At the signing ceremony, Kushner outlined an ambitious “master plan” to rebuild Gaza, which included a coastal tourism zone with up to 180 skyscrapers.
He said everything depended on Hamas disarming. “If Hamas does not demilitarize, that will be what holds back the people of Gaza from achieving their aspirations,” said Kushner.
A slideshow, accompanying Kushner’s outline, listed “Demilitarization Principles” that stated “reconstruction only in sectors with full disarmament.”
The slideshow included images of state-of-the-art buildings along the coast. On a map of the master plan, a port was marked out on the far southwestern corner.
Two new urban zones, a New Rafah and a New Gaza, would be constructed. New Rafah would be built first, with more than 100,000 housing units, 200-plus schools and more than 75 medical facilities.
Kushner said the process of removing the rubble was already underway.
Hamas terrorists continue to operate in Gaza and are reportedly rebuilding their strength since Israeli forces withdrew to a boundary within the Gaza Strip dubbed the Yellow Line.
Terrorists attempt to cross that line daily. On Saturday, the Israel Air Force struck and killed terrorists who attempted to carry out an attack.
“IDF troops operating in the northern Gaza Strip identified several terrorists who crossed the Yellow Line, planted an explosive device in the area and approached troops, posing an immediate threat to them,” the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said.
