US envoy Witkoff arrives in Israel for Gaza aid, ceasefire push
Indirect ceasefire talks between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas in Doha ended in deadlock last week with the sides trading blame for the impasse and gaps remaining over issues including the extent of Israeli forces' withdrawal.
Mr Witkoff will meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss humanitarian aid and the "next steps" on Gaza.
He may also visit a US-backed humanitarian group distributing food in Gaza, according to Israeli reports.
Mr Witkoff has been the top US representative in indirect ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas, but the discussions broke down last week when Israel and the United States recalled their delegations from Doha.
Israel yesterday sent a response to Hamas' latest amendments to a US proposal that would see a 60-day truce and the release of hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and detainees, a source familiar with the details said.
Gaza medical officials said at least 23 people were reported killed by Israeli fire across the territory this morning, including 12 people among crowds who had gathered to receive aid around the Netzarim corridor, an area held by Israeli troops in central Gaza.
The Israeli military said it was looking into the report.
Since the war began, the Gaza health ministry has recorded 154 deaths from starvation and malnutrition, most of them in recent weeks, including at least 89 children.
Facing mounting international outrage over images of starving children, Israel said on Sunday it would halt military operations for ten hours a day in parts of Gaza and designate secure routes for convoys delivering food and medicine.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said that the United Nations and its partners had been able to bring more food into Gaza in the first two days of pauses, but the volume was "still far from enough."
With the number of Palestinians killed in almost two years of war passing 60,000 this week, pressure has been mounting in Gaza on Hamas to reach a ceasefire deal with Israel.
In Israel, protests were expected in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, calling on the government to end the war.
Mr Netanyahu, whose ruling coalition includes two parties who want to conquer Gaza and re-establish Jewish settlements there, has said he will not end the war until Hamas no longer rules Gaza and lays down its arms. Hamas has rejected calls to disarm.
Qatar and Egypt, who are mediating the ceasefire efforts, backed a declaration on Tuesday by France and Saudi Arabia which outlined steps for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The declaration says Hamas "must end its rule in Gaza and hand over its weapons to the Palestinian Authority", which is led by its rivals and based in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
Israel has rejected the Palestinian Authority gaining control of Gaza.
Israel has denounced declarations by France, Britain and Canada since last week that they may recognise a Palestinian state, which Israel says amounts to rewarding Hamas for its 7 October 2023 attack on Israeli territory.
That attack, when fighters killed 1,200 people took 251 hostages back to Gaza, precipitated the war.
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