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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a high-level meeting in Al-Quds on Saturday with U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, senior advisor and son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump.
According to Israeli media, the discussions focused on the implementation of the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire, the potential reopening of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, and regional concerns related to Iran.
The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation KAN reported that the reopening of the Rafah crossing, which links Gaza to Egypt, featured prominently in the talks.
The crossing was scheduled to reopen in October 2025 as part of the first phase of a ceasefire agreement that took effect on October 10. However, the Israeli government has yet to comply with this provision.
KAN suggested that the Security Cabinet, due to convene on Sunday, could approve Rafah’s reopening "in the coming days." An Israeli official told local media that any reopening would be contingent on retrieving the remains of a missing Israeli police officer believed to be held in Gaza.
The Rafah border issue is part of the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire. The first phase included a cessation of hostilities and a prisoner exchange involving Israeli captives and Palestinian detainees.
The second phase calls for the disarmament of Hamas and other Palestinian factions, additional Israeli military withdrawals from Gaza, and the launch of reconstruction initiatives.
In a separate development, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) chief Brad Cooper met with Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir at the Defense Ministry in Tel Aviv.
Israeli Channel 12 described the meeting as a session of heightened security coordination, as U.S. forces increase readiness in the region amid rising tensions with Iran.
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