Trump’s son-in-law and special envoy remain in Israel to oversee Gaza truce implementation

Jared Kushner, son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump, and U.S. presidential special envoy Steven Whitkoff will remain in Israel over the weekend to ensure the implementation of the first phase of the Gaza Strip truce deal, sources told POLITICO.

According to the report, the breakthrough in negotiations was achieved with the direct involvement of Whitkoff and Kushner. The talks, which began on October 6, initially progressed slowly as neither side was willing to make concessions. On October 8, Whitkoff, Kushner, and Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani joined the discussions, applying pressure on both parties to reach an agreement.

“We anticipated that we would need another five days of talks,” the source said.

Late Thursday, Whitkoff and Kushner met with Israel’s cabinet for about an hour, outlining the benefits of the deal and explaining why the U.S. administration supported it. Within hours, Israel’s cabinet approved the hostage release agreement, according to U.S. officials. The White House declined to provide further comment on the negotiations beyond the briefing.

Following cabinet approval, Israeli troops are expected to withdraw within a day, after which Hamas will release the remaining Israeli hostages. Reports indicate that 20 hostages are still alive, while the bodies of 28 who died in captivity will also be returned. In exchange, Israel has agreed to release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, and increased humanitarian aid will flow into the Gaza Strip.

Trump is expected to visit Israel on October 12, where he will address the Knesset, meet with families of hostages, and witness the release of some of those still held in Gaza, according to Israeli and U.S. officials. Plans for the visit remain subject to change.

“There’s still just a lot of ways that this can go wrong, so we’re staying on top of the details to make sure everyone fulfils their obligations and that any misunderstandings are quickly discussed and adjudicated,” a senior U.S. official told reporters in the briefing.

Whitkoff and Kushner will remain in Israel throughout the weekend to oversee the execution of the first phase of the agreement. 

If fully executed, the release of all remaining hostages would mark a significant turning point after two years of conflict, creating greater diplomatic room for the U.S., its Arab partners, and Israel. However, this represents only the first phase of a 20-point plan, and key questions remain, including whether Hamas will disarm and who will govern Gaza after the war ends.

By Tamilla Hasanova