Witkoff says Trump directed him to get Gaza ceasefire to next phase

U.S. President Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, stated in a Fox News interview on Wednesday that he is committed to implementing the Gaza ceasefire agreement and advancing to the second phase. He plans to travel to Israel to join an inspection team visiting the Netzarim Corridor and the Philadelphi Corridor in Gaza, both of which are currently under Israeli control.

Witkoff said, "I will be traveling to Israel to join the inspection team for the Netzarim Corridor and the Philadelphi Corridor." He added that the inspectors will ensure the safety of the corridors and that those entering these areas are not carrying weapons. This marks Witkoff's first official visit to the Middle East, occurring as the first phase of the ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel continues to hold.

Witkoff and his team were widely credited for their involvement in negotiations held in Qatar during the final days of the previous Biden administration, which ultimately led to the ceasefire agreement. Despite this, U.S. President Donald Trump, after taking office on Monday, expressed skepticism about whether the ceasefire agreement could progress to the second phase. In response on Fox News, Witkoff said he did not disagree with the President's comments, but he is working to ensure the agreement proceeds as planned.

Witkoff emphasized, "We have to make sure that the agreement is implemented smoothly, because if it goes well, we will move to the second phase and be able to release more of those being held captive." He added that this is the President's instruction to all relevant personnel in the U.S. government, and they will work to achieve this goal. Furthermore, Witkoff stated that the Trump administration is focused on promoting the normalization of relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel, but this is contingent on the Gaza ceasefire agreement.

Witkoff believes that "a prerequisite for normalizing relations is a ceasefire. We need to restore people's faith in peace." He suggests that normalization could have a domino effect in the Middle East, with other countries potentially following Saudi Arabia's lead. "Normalization means an end to war. It means the entire region will become suitable for investment and financing."

Israel's war on Gaza has lasted 15 months, during which Israeli forces have killed at least 47,107 Palestinians and destroyed much of Gaza's civilian infrastructure. Experts, human rights advocates, and several countries have described Israel's actions in Gaza as "genocide." The ceasefire agreement reached last week has brought temporary relief to the Gaza Strip, although Israeli forces still killed 19 Palestinians within hours of the ceasefire taking effect.

The agreement is divided into three phases, with the first phase expected to last six weeks, during which 33 Israelis held captive in Gaza will be released, including 9 who are ill or injured. As part of the first phase, Israel will release 1,000 Palestinians detained since October 8, 2023, and partially withdraw from densely populated areas of Gaza, including the Netzarim Corridor. The second phase will see the release of the remaining Israelis held captive in Gaza, and Israel will fully withdraw from Gaza. However, negotiations regarding the second and third phases of the agreement are still ongoing, and there is currently nothing in the agreement addressing who will govern Gaza after the war ends.