Israeli Prime Minister to Visit U.S. to Launch Second-Phase Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Talks | WPN World People News

The Israeli Prime Minister's Office announced on the 1st that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will travel to Washington on the 3rd (Eastern Time) to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, and launch the second phase of Israel-Hamas ceasefire negotiations.

According to Reuters, Netanyahu is expected to depart from Israel on the 2nd and meet with Trump at the White House on the 4th (Eastern Time) to discuss the situation in Gaza and the issue of Israeli hostages still held in the region.

The Israeli Prime Minister's Office stated that Netanyahu will also meet with Witkoff to discuss Israel’s stance in the ceasefire agreement. Over the past 15 months, Egypt and Qatar, with U.S. support, have acted as mediators to facilitate dialogue between Israel and Hamas. As a result, Witkoff also plans to hold talks with officials from Egypt and Qatar.

Last month, Israel and Hamas reached a complex ceasefire agreement to be implemented in three phases, temporarily halting fighting in Gaza. So far, Hamas has released 18 Israeli hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned in Israel. However, more than 70 Israeli hostages remain in Gaza.

According to Agence France-Presse (AFP), the official negotiation date between representatives from Egypt, Qatar, Hamas, and Israel has yet to be determined. The first phase of the ceasefire agreement, lasting 42 days, is set to end in March. The Israeli Prime Minister's Office stated that Witkoff will first negotiate with Qatari and Egyptian representatives before meeting with Netanyahu to discuss ways to accelerate the negotiation process, including setting a concrete date for the delegation to begin talks.

The second phase of the ceasefire agreement is expected to involve the release of the remaining hostages and discussions on permanently ending the war.