International-News

Middle East, US envoy Witkoff visits the Netzarim Corridor in Gaza

It is the first visit by a US official to the Strip in at least 15 years

White House Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff visited the Netzarim Corridor, the road that bisects the Gaza Strip, today, 29 January. This was reported by Axios journalist Barak Ravid, pointing out that this was the first visit by a US government official to Gaza in at least 15 years. Witkoff was accompanied by the Israeli Minister for Strategic Affairs, Ron Dermer.

According to the Qatari newspaper Al-Araby Al Jadeed, Witkoff assured Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the US would not start the reconstruction of northern Gaza until the security of the border area is guaranteed. This would be part of a joint plan between Washington and the Gulf countries to prevent new attacks similar to the one on 7 October 2023.

The plan also provides for a delay in reconstruction to make the area uninhabitable in the long term, thus favouring former President Donald Trump’s proposal to relocate 1.5 million Palestinians to Jordan and Egypt. However, the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas stipulates that the reconstruction of northern Gaza will begin in the third and final phase.

Meanwhile, today the Israeli Defence Minister, Israel Katz, will have initial talks with the US Defence Secretary, Pete Hegseth. Over the weekend, Netanyahu will fly to Washington to meet with President Trump on Tuesday, before returning to Israel on Thursday.

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