Overview

• Vice President J.D. Vance and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff will travel to Israel in the coming days to advance President Trump’s multi‑phase plan and press the shift to Phase B.
• Talks are centered on completing Phase A, with Israeli officials signaling they will not proceed until Hamas returns all deceased hostages.
• Reports say Hamas has released 20 living captives and returned about 10 bodies so far, though counts have been disputed across outlets.
• Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered measures tied to compliance, including keeping the Rafah Crossing closed to humanitarian shipments until all bodies are returned.
• The Israeli military struck Rafah after militants attacked IDF forces, while Hamas has refused to commit to disarmament and President Trump warned Israel could resume operations if remains are not delivered.