JERUSALEM / WASHINGTON: US envoys met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a bid to rescue the fragile Gaza ceasefire, after a surge in Israeli attacks left more than 100 Palestinians dead in the past 24 hours, according to Gaza health authorities.
The talks — led by US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and presidential adviser Jared Kushner — aimed to put the Trump-brokered ceasefire plan back on track following a weekend of violence that threatened to unravel the truce.
Israeli strikes across Gaza continued on Monday night despite the agreement signed earlier this month, which was intended to end nearly two years of war that has killed over 68,000 Palestinians and injured 170,000 since 2023.
The Palestinian Authority accused Israel of “deliberate and systematic violations” of the deal.
According to Haaretz, Netanyahu and the US envoys discussed the second phase of the ceasefire plan — including the creation of a multinational force, Israel’s military withdrawal from Gaza, and the disarmament of Hamas.
Critics say Israel’s ongoing airstrikes and siege contradict those commitments. “Every explosion pushes the ceasefire closer to collapse,” a Gaza official told local media, calling the attacks “clear proof that Israel is acting above the agreement and above international law.”
US Vice President JD Vance is expected to visit Israel on Tuesday to continue the mediation efforts amid mounting regional concern that the ceasefire may not hold.
