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US Trump Envoy Steve Witkoff Gaza Visit Sparks Diplomatic Talks for Israel-Saudi Deal

Steve Witkoff’s Gaza visit aims to oversee the ceasefire’s implementation. His meetings with Netanyahu and discussions in Riyadh advance US efforts for a broader Middle East accord, including Saudi-Israeli normalization.

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US Trump Envoy Steve Witkoff Gaza Visit Sparks Diplomatic Talks for Israel-Saudi Deal

US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff came to Gaza on Wednesday ahead of his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to oversee the Gaza ceasefire and further regional diplomacy.

Witkoff, who visited Saudi Arabia earlier this week, is in the region to oversee the implementation of the Gaza ceasefire, which is a part of a much larger plan floated by US President Donald Trump to build diplomatic relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia. US hopes that the stability provided by a reported ceasefire could lay the ground for an extraordinary agreement in which Saudi Arabia and Israel formalize diplomatic relations for the first time.

During his two-hour visit to Netanyahu, Witkoff discussed the next step of the ceasefire, to start once Netanyahu meets Trump on February 4. The current ceasefire falls under three stages, during which 33 hostages are expected to be released in the form of Palestinians imprisoned. Since the ceasefire started on January 19, seven hostages have already been released, and three more will be freed on Thursday, including a civilian woman and a female soldier.

As part of the first stage of the ceasefire, Israeli authorities have permitted tens of thousands of internally displaced Palestinians to return to their homes in northern Gaza. Witkoff visited the Netzarim corridor, which is an essential route for these returnees, during his visit to Gaza, however, Israeli officials refused to comment on specifics.

These talks are meant to result in the release of all hostages and full Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza. However, complications arise from the Palestinian state demand by Saudi Arabia, which will influence the fate of the general regional agreements.

Witkoff’s diplomatic efforts will continue as part of the more general US strategy toward stabilizing the region and putting an end to the Gaza war.