The US Special Envoy, Steve Witkoff, is expected to arrive in the Middle East on Sunday to push the implementation of the Gaza ceasefire deal, Axios reported.
The visit will focus on pressing Hamas to return the hostages bodies and working on the formation of the international stabilization force (ISF) that will deploy in Gaza under the US President Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan.
Witkoff in Middle East
During his trip to the Middle East, Witkoff is expected to visit Egypt and Israel, and will likely make a stop in Gaza, an informed source told Axios.
The US Envoy will discuss several issues related to the Gaza ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel. These include the formation of the ISF which will deploy in areas of the Gaza Strip following the Israeli army gradual withdrawal under Trump’s plan.
Moreover, Witkoff will also explore Gaza reconstruction process as the US wants to start rebuilding parts of Gaza which Hamas does not control, including Rafah.
Gaza Deal
On October 13, 2025, Trump, the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim Al-Thani, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan signed the ceasefire agreement document to mark the implementation of the 20-point plan for peace in Gaza.
During the deal’s first phase, Hamas should return all the remaining Israeli hostages – alive and deceased – in exchange for an agreed upon number of Palestinian prisoners, a ceasefire and an increased humanitarian aid flow to the Strip.
The Palestinian movement released the 20 living Israeli hostages. In return, Israel released about 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, withdrew its troops from large parts of Gaza, and implemented a ceasefire.
Hostages Bodies
A key sticking issue in the Gaza deal implementation is the return if the bodies of the hostages. Hamas returned 9 out of 28 bodies, claiming it needs more time and search efforts to determine the location of other bodies
Israel, however, accuses Hamas of dragging its feet over the return of the bodies of the hostages. “We think Hamas is holding between seven to ten bodies that it can return at any minute. They choose not to do it and are creating a crisis,” an Israeli official told Axios.
On Thursday, the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, convened his top security advisors to discuss the issue. During the meeting, he received a call from Trump to discuss the situation in Gaza.
Netanyahu accused Hamas of lying, asking the US and other mediators to pressure the Palestinian group to return more hostages. Trump, for his part, told Netanyahu that he is working on the problem, stressing the US commitment to returning all of the bodies, according to the Israeli official.
Next Phases in Gaza Deal
The US administration wants to move forward with the implementation of the second phase of the Gaza peace deal. To this end, the White House urged Israel not use the return of the bodies’ issue as a pretext to delay the next steps of the deal.
Meanwhile, Hamas issued a statement on Friday calling mediators “to complete their role by following up on the implementation of the remaining provisions of the agreement,” particularly provisions related to humanitarian aid, the opening of the Rafah crossing and the reconstruction.
The group also called for the creation of a “community support committee” including independent figures that will act as a government in Gaza and for the Israeli military to complete its withdrawal from Gaza.
High Uncertainty
Although the implementation of the first phase went almost smoothly, and the initial negotiations for the second phase are underway, uncertainty looms over its success.
Hamas is engaged in deadly clashes with rival groups, trying to regain control over parts of Gaza. At the same time, there remain several unresolved issues concerning the disarmament of Hamas and the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip.
On Thursday, Trump escalated his rhetoric against the group for threatening the success of the deal. “If Hamas continues to kill people in Gaza, which was not the Deal, we will have no choice but to go in and kill them,” he posted on Truth Social.
The US President also warned that he might allow Israel to resume fighting if Hamas does not commit to its obligations under the deal. “Israel will return to those streets as soon as I say the word,” Trump told CNN on Wednesday.
Despite this, he expressed confidence that the Hamas will hold up its end of the agreement. “We know that we have a commitment from them and I assume they’re going to honor their commitment. If they don’t behave, we’ll take care of it,” he said of Hamas after speaking to Netanyahu on Thursday.
