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US intensifies diplomacy to rescue Gaza ceasefire after deadly flare-up
Both sides have since reiterated their commitment to the agreement, but repeated breaches have exposed the truce’s fragility and the enormous challenge of sustaining peace after two years of war.
The United States has launched a new round of high-level diplomacy to keep the fragile Gaza ceasefire from collapsing after deadly clashes over the weekend left dozens dead and raised doubts about the durability of the truce brokered by President Donald Trump.
Senior U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Monday to urge restraint and push both Israel and Hamas to recommit to the peace plan’s first phase. The meeting came after Sunday’s violence, when a Palestinian attack killed two Israeli soldiers and triggered an Israeli air assault that left at least 28 Palestinians dead.
Both sides have since reiterated their commitment to the agreement, but repeated breaches have exposed the truce’s fragility and the enormous challenge of sustaining peace after two years of war. Central questions — including Hamas’ disarmament, further Israeli troop withdrawals, and the future governance of Gaza — remain unresolved.
Trump, speaking in Washington, said the United States was taking “many steps” to uphold the ceasefire, calling it “a historic opportunity for a new Middle East.” He accused some Hamas elements of breaking the deal but stopped short of blaming its top leadership.
“If Hamas doesn’t straighten this out, we’re going to eradicate them if we have to,” Trump said, though he stressed that no U.S. troops would be deployed on the ground.
Vice President JD Vance is expected to arrive in Israel on Tuesday for further talks with Netanyahu, focusing on the next phase of Trump’s 20-step peace plan. U.S. officials will also meet Hamas representatives in Egypt to discuss compliance measures and humanitarian coordination.
On Monday, three more Palestinians were killed by Israeli tank fire near the so-called “yellow line” — a zone marking Israel’s partial military withdrawal from populated areas of Gaza. The Israeli military said the strikes targeted militants who had crossed the boundary. Gaza residents reported confusion over the line’s location, saying the destruction had made it nearly impossible to identify safe zones.
“The whole area is in ruins. We saw the maps, but we can’t tell where those lines are,” said Samir, 50, from Gaza City’s Tuffah district.
Meanwhile, the Red Cross said it had received the body of another Israeli hostage from Hamas and transferred it to the Israeli military. Officials believe several more remains could be handed over in the coming days.
In Cairo, Hamas’ exiled Gaza leader Khalil al-Hayya met Egyptian mediators to discuss next steps in implementing the ceasefire. A Palestinian official familiar with the talks said discussions included forming a technocratic administration for Gaza without direct Hamas participation — a proposal backed by Washington but strongly opposed by Hamas and allied factions.
Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz warned that any militants remaining beyond the yellow line would be targeted without warning, saying troops would “not tolerate further provocations.”