Gaza Ceasefire Falters as US Pushes for Next Phase

Top U.S. envoys met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday, urging his government to move forward with the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement. The diplomatic push comes as the deal faces significant hurdles, including the return of a hostage's remains and the reopening of a critical border crossing.

Netanyahu met with U.S. President Donald Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner. According to a U.S. official, the talks focused on recovering the last hostage's remains from Gaza and outlining the next steps for the territory's demilitarization. While the U.S. is keen to maintain momentum on the Trump-brokered deal, Netanyahu is under domestic pressure to delay progress until Hamas returns the hostage.

Palestinians receive donated food at a community kitchen in Nuseirat, central Gaza, illustrating the humanitarian crisis underlying the ceasefire negotiations.

Hostage Remains and Rafah Crossing Stall Progress

The most critical signal of the ceasefire's second phase would be the reopening of the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt. Ali Shaath, head of a planned technocratic government intended to manage Gaza's daily affairs, stated on Thursday that the crossing would open in both directions this week. However, Israel, which currently controls the Gaza side of the crossing, has not confirmed this and said it would review the issue.

The situation is complicated by the case of Ran Gvili, whose body remains in Gaza. His family is urging for increased pressure on Hamas. "President Trump himself stated this week in Davos that Hamas knows exactly where our son is being held," the family said Saturday, accusing the group of violating the agreement.

Hamas countered on Wednesday, claiming it had provided mediators with "all information" it possesses about Gvili's remains and accused Israel of obstructing search operations in areas it controls. The ceasefire originally took effect on October 10.

Regional Diplomacy Intensifies

Egypt's top diplomat is also pushing for an immediate reopening of the Rafah crossing. Foreign Minister Bader Abdelatty spoke by phone with Nickolay Mladenov, the Bulgarian diplomat serving as the high representative for Trump's new Board of Peace in Gaza.

According to a statement from the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, their discussion covered several key elements of the ceasefire's second phase:

• Deployment of an international monitoring force.

• Opening the Rafah crossing for entry and exit.

• Withdrawal of Israeli forces from the strip.

The ministry described the implementation of this phase as a "key entry point" for Gaza's reconstruction. Meanwhile, a Hamas delegation met with the head of Turkey's National Intelligence Organization in Istanbul to discuss the ceasefire.

U.S. President Donald Trump displays a signed charter at the Board of Peace meeting during the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Violence Persists on the Ground

Despite the diplomatic efforts, tensions remain high. On Saturday, an Israeli strike killed two Palestinian teenagers, cousins aged 13 and 15, in Gaza. According to Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, which received the bodies, the boys were searching for firewood at the time.

A relative, Arafat al-Zawara, said the teens were killed about 500 meters from the Yellow Line, which separates Israeli-controlled areas from the rest of the strip, in a zone the Israeli military had previously declared safe for Palestinians.

The Israeli military stated it had targeted militants who crossed the Yellow Line to plant explosives, denying that children were killed in the strike.

According to Gaza's Health Ministry, more than 480 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since the ceasefire began. These casualty records are generally considered reliable by U.N. agencies and independent experts. Israel disputes the figures but has not provided its own data.