Overview
- Israeli and Egyptian sources say Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Egyptian intelligence chief Hassan Rashad in Tel Aviv to advance the U.S.-backed plan and reinforce the lull.
- U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner joined Vice President J.D. Vance in Israel, with Vance declaring Washington’s resolve to sustain the cease-fire and announcing a civil–military cooperation center in Gaza.
- Progress toward Phase Two remains blocked as Israel ties further steps to recovering hostages’ bodies and disarming Hamas, while Hamas has handed over 13 of 28 reported bodies.
- The truce’s fragility was highlighted by Israel’s report of two soldiers killed and ensuing strikes that killed 44 Palestinians, as the U.S. State Department warned of a credible imminent attack planned by Hamas against civilians.
- Israeli outlet Yedioth Ahronoth reported the military cannot launch new operations in Rafah or elsewhere without Trump administration approval, reflecting U.S. leverage, while Gaza technocrats urged a Palestinian-led reconstruction in a letter inviting the president to visit.