Witkoff and Kushner Arrive in Israel Following Hamas’s Deadly Ceasefire Violation

Latest Developments

• Efforts to Bolster Ceasefire: U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and White House advisor Jared Kushner returned to Israel on October 20 to bolster the fragile Gaza ceasefire following a brief escalation the previous day. Witkoff and Kushner intend to observe how both sides are adhering to the ceasefire and discuss the agreement’s next phase. The two met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with whom they discussed “the developments and updates in the region.” Vice President J.D. Vance is expected to join them in Israel on October 21.
• Hamas Kills 2 Soldiers: The IDF announced that it had begun “renewed enforcement of the cease-fire” in Gaza following an escalation between Hamas and Israel. The escalation came after Hamas breached the U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement earlier that day by emerging from tunnels and attacking Israeli troops in Rafah with rocket-propelled grenades and sniper fire. Maj. Yaniv Kula and Staff Sgt. Itay Yavetz, both from the Nahal Brigade, were killed during the attack, which also wounded three other soldiers.
• Israel Responds With Strikes on Hamas: Israel responded by conducting air and ground strikes on tunnel shafts and other infrastructure used by Hamas. Later that day, the IDF struck a major tunnel system that was previously spared because it was used to hold hostages. The strikes also eliminated key Hamas operatives, including Yahya al-Mabhouh, a commander of Hamas’s elite Nukhba Force in central Gaza. In northern Gaza, an Israeli drone strike eliminated a group of terrorists who crossed the “yellow line” separating Israeli-controlled territory and advanced towards Israeli troops. Hamas claimed that the attacks came from a renegade cell with which it lost contact several months ago, adding that it was “unaware of any events or clashes in the Rafah area.” The Iran-backed terrorists, who still hold the bodies of 16 hostages, claimed to have located another body on October 19 that they promised to release the next day “if the field conditions are suitable.”

FDD Expert Response

“From the outset, Israel had two primary goals of the war: To defang Hamas and to return the hostages. Trump’s ceasefire deal did both of those things. However, Hamas has cynically and repeatedly delayed the return of hostages and violated the ceasefire by killing two Israeli soldiers. If Hamas does not act in good faith, the terror group will jeopardize the fragile ceasefire and any hope of better days for Gazans.” — Enia Krivine, Senior Director of FDD’s Israel Program and National Security Network

“Hamas’s conduct in recent days — from dragging its feet on returning the bodies of deceased hostages, to summarily executing fellow Palestinians on a range of dubious charges, to the attack that killed two IDF soldiers and wounded others — reflects a familiar pattern. Hamas has long mastered the art of orchestrating attacks while maintaining plausible deniability. These events would not have occurred without Hamas’s leadership in Gaza giving the green light.” — Joe Truzman, Senior Research Analyst and Editor at FDD’s Long War Journal

FDD Background and Analysis

“Israel Increasing Pressure on Hamas to Return Remaining 19 Deceased Hostages,” FDD Flash Brief

“Hamas Turns Its Guns on Gaza’s Clans,” by Ahmad Sharawi

“Egypt Says 15 Palestinian Technocrats Approved To Manage Post-War Gaza,” FDD Flash Brief

“‘Blatant Violation Of The Deal’: Israel Closes Rafah Border Crossing After Hamas Fails To Release All 28 Deceased Hostages,” FDD Flash Brief