US raises concern over Israel PM jeopardizing ceasefire
(MENAFN) The Trump administration is increasingly concerned that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may jeopardize the Gaza ceasefire agreement with Hamas, according to US media reports on Tuesday.
Citing unnamed White House officials, The New York Times reported that Vice President JD Vance’s visit to Israel is intended to pressure Netanyahu to adhere to the truce and “add an extra symbolic layer to illustrate the administration’s commitment to keeping the deal intact.”
US Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner arrived in Israel on Monday for discussions with Netanyahu and other leaders about enforcing the ceasefire.
A senior US official told the paper that both Witkoff and Kushner believe the agreement is “in danger of falling apart.” Their mission, the report said, is “to try to keep Netanyahu from resuming an all-out assault against Hamas.”
Talks in Israel reportedly centered on “some of the trickier areas that were left undefined in their initial deal,” including the creation of a stabilization force and the disarmament of Hamas.
On Sunday, Israel launched a series of deadly airstrikes across the Gaza Strip, killing at least 44 Palestinians after claiming Hamas had attacked its troops in Rafah. The Palestinian group denied the accusation and reaffirmed its commitment to the ceasefire.
Trump has stated that the truce remains in effect despite Israel’s recent strikes.
The ceasefire, based on a phased plan proposed by Trump, took effect on Oct. 10. Its first stage involved exchanging Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, with later phases focusing on Gaza’s reconstruction and the creation of a new administration without Hamas.
Since October 2023, Israel’s military campaign has killed more than 68,200 people and wounded over 170,200 in Gaza, according to the enclave’s Health Ministry.
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