Jared Kushner said the “master plan” to rebuild Gaza depends on Hamas disarming.
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. (Read More)
