Cairo (Egypt), 24 Jan. (LaPresse/AP) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received US President Donald Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and advisor on the Middle East, in Israel, who urged him to move on to the second phase of the plan for Gaza. The United States is eager to move forward with the agreement brokered by Trump, but Netanyahu is under pressure from within Israel not to move on to phase two until Hamas returns the body of the last hostage it is holding in Gaza. At the heart of the debate is the reopening of the Rafah border crossing, a symbolic and logistical step that represents the most important signal of the start of phase two. Ali Shaath, head of Gaza's new technocratic government, which is expected to manage day-to-day affairs, announced on Thursday that the Rafah border crossing will be open in both directions next week. There has been no confirmation from Israel, which has only said it will examine the issue next week. The Gaza side of the crossing, which connects Gaza and Egypt, is currently under Israeli military control. (Continued)
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