The United States’ Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff is set to hold talks in Miami, Florida, with senior officials from Qatar, Egypt and Turkey as diplomatic efforts continue to advance the next phase of the Gaza ceasefire, despite repeated violations on the ground by Israel.
A White House official told Al Jazeera Arabic on Friday that the meetings will focus on the future of the ceasefire agreement aimed at ending Israel’s war on Gaza.
According to Axios, the talks—scheduled for later on Friday—will include Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, and Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty.
At the same time, Israel’s public broadcaster reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is holding a limited security consultation to assess the second phase of the ceasefire and possible scenarios moving forward.
An Israeli official cited by the broadcaster warned that Israel could resume major military operations if US President Donald Trump were to step back from the Gaza process, though the official acknowledged such a move was unlikely as Trump seeks to maintain stability in the enclave.
Ceasefire Under Strain
Despite Washington’s position that the truce remains in place, Israeli military actions have continued almost uninterrupted. Israel has repeatedly failed to fully comply with the first phase of the ceasefire, including blocking the delivery of critical humanitarian aid to Gaza.
An Al Jazeera analysis found that Israeli forces carried out attacks on Gaza on 58 of the 69 days since the truce began, leaving only 11 days without reported violence or casualties.
Speaking in Washington on Thursday, Trump said Netanyahu is likely to visit him in Florida during the Christmas period as the US presses for progress on the ceasefire’s second phase.
“Yes, he will probably visit me in Florida,” Trump told reporters. “He wants to meet me, though nothing is formally scheduled yet.”
Push for Second Phase
Qatar and Egypt—key mediators and guarantors of the ceasefire—have urged all parties to move swiftly into the second phase of the agreement. That phase includes a full Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza and the deployment of an international stabilisation force.
Earlier this week, Sheikh Mohammed warned that ongoing Israeli violations risk collapsing the entire agreement. Speaking after talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, he said delays and breaches were placing mediators in an increasingly difficult position.
Human rights groups and Palestinians say the ceasefire exists largely in name only, citing ongoing attacks and a worsening humanitarian crisis.
Since the truce took effect on October 10, 2025, Gaza’s Government Media Office says Israel has committed at least 738 violations, including air strikes, artillery shelling, ground incursions, arrests and shootings of civilians.
Deepening Humanitarian Crisis
Israeli officials have also signaled intentions to maintain long-term military control over parts of Gaza. Israeli media reports suggest the army is preparing to remain indefinitely in areas marked by the so-called “yellow line,” unless Hamas is disarmed.
Meanwhile, Gaza’s humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate. A recent storm killed at least 13 people, as heavy rains and strong winds flooded tents and caused damaged buildings to collapse.
After two years of war, more than 80 percent of Gaza’s structures have been destroyed, leaving hundreds of thousands of Palestinians sheltering in fragile tents or overcrowded temporary housing.