Overview
- U.S. envoy Steve Witkof will travel Sunday to Egypt and Israel, with a possible on‑the‑ground stop in Gaza, to press steps in the 20‑point plan including further hostage and remains transfers, an international stability force, and targeted reconstruction starting in Rafah.
- Israel says Hamas is slowing the return of bodies and knows several burial sites, while Hamas urges mediators to advance the next steps of the truce such as reopening crossings, facilitating aid and reconstruction, forming an interim administration, and continuing Israeli withdrawals.
- Hamas freed 20 live hostages in exchange for roughly 2,000 Palestinian detainees but has delivered only 9 of about 28 bodies of captives who died in custody, a shortfall now central to implementation disputes.
- Jared Kushner and Steve Witkof said Israeli strikes in Qatar during talks damaged a key mediation channel and made Hamas harder to reach; the White House later noted Netanyahu expressed deep regret to Qatar and pledged no repeat.
- Political and regional cross‑currents add pressure: Fatah rejected any arrangement that entrenches separate Gaza governance or Hamas security control, Egypt reported more than $9 billion in Suez losses from Houthi Red Sea attacks, and Pakistan announced a 48‑hour border truce with Afghanistan.