US Middle East envoy arrives in Israel for talks on Gaza ceasefire

By Anadolu staff

JERUSALEM (AA) – The US envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff arrived in Israel on Wednesday to meet with top Israeli officials to discuss developments of the Gaza ceasefire that took effect on Jan. 19.

According to the Israeli Channel 14, Witkoff is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other top officials.

The channel said that Netanyahu will meet Witkoff in West Jerusalem at 16:00 local time (1400 GMT).

Israel's public broadcaster KAN reported on Tuesday that Witkoff will visit Gaza on Wednesday to inspect the Netzarim Corridor that separates northern Gaza from its south, before meeting with Netanyahu to discuss the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement with Hamas.

On Monday, hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians began returning from southern and central Gaza to the north.

Multiple Israeli and international reports suggest that Witkoff played a crucial role in persuading Netanyahu to agree to the Jan. 19 Gaza ceasefire.

Under the agreement, indirect negotiations on the second phase of the deal are set to begin on the 16th day of the ceasefire.

The first six-week phase of the agreement took effect on Jan. 19, suspending Israel’s genocidal war that has killed more than 47,300 Palestinians, most of them women and children.

The Israeli onslaught has left more than 11,000 people missing, with widespread destruction and a humanitarian crisis.

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in November last year for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar