US special envoy Steve Witkoff and adviser to the US president Jared Kushner are expected to go to Israel later in the day, while US vice president Jay Dee Vance will land on Tuesday.

Their visit is part of a concerted US effort to further advance the Gaza ceasefire framework. Meanwhile, a Hamas delegation led by Khalil al-Haya is meeting in Cairo today with officials from Egypt and Qatar to discuss the fragile truce and the post-war situation in the Gaza Strip, a source familiar with the matter told AFP.

The meetings and arrivals come a day after Israeli strikes on Gaza, after Israel accused Hamas of violations of the ceasefire, which took effect on October 10, which the Palestinian organization denies.

The source clarified that the topic of the meeting with the mediators in Cairo will be mainly “the dozens of Israeli strikes” that caused “dozens of deaths in the Gaza Strip” yesterday.

Egypt and Qatar have long been mediating between Israel and Hamas to end the war in Gaza.

Besides, “the delegation, together with many leaders of the movement, will hold meetings with Egyptian officials on the subject of the intra-Palestinian dialogue, which will soon be hosted by Egypt”, noted the same source.

Egypt has already hosted several meetings of Palestinian political movements, mainly the two main political groups — Hamas and Fatah of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, rivals for decades.

“This dialogue aims to unify Palestinian politics and tackle key issues, notably the future of the Gaza Strip and the establishment of a committee of independent experts to take over the governance of the enclave.”the source said, referring to the transition authority that will be made up of technocrats under the supervision of a committee headed by US President Donald Trump.

Hamas has already stated that it does not wish to rule the Gaza Strip.

Many Palestinian political officials have referred in recent months to the formation of a group of non-aligned Palestinians to take over the governance of Gaza.

Another informed source stated that “the contacts and efforts of the mediators allowed last night to restore calm and reactivate the truce in Gaza”. He also added that “The mediators will continue to monitor and supervise Israeli violations.”

Trump: Israel-Hamas ceasefire remains in place

US President Donald Trump has assured that the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas remains in force, even as the Israeli armed forces launched dozens of raids on the Gaza Strip after what they called ceasefire violations, “attacks” by the Palestinian Islamist movement, killing at least 45 people in the enclave yesterday.

“yes it is”Mr. Trump told reporters aboard the presidential jet when asked if the ceasefire, which he personally helped close in indirect negotiations, remains in place.

He further implied that the Hamas leadership was not involved in the ceasefire violations alleged by Israel and instead blamed “certain rebels within the organization’s ranks”.

Kushner: Israel must ‘find a way’ to help Palestinians

Israel must find a way to help the Palestinians in order to “integrate into the whole of the Middle East,” said one of the US envoys involved in the talks between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas.

“The most important message we’ve tried to convey to Israeli leaders, now that the war is over, is that if you want to integrate Israel into the whole of the Middle East, you have to find a way to help the Palestinian people prosper and do better.”Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, said Sunday night (US time) to CBS News.

The interview, which was pre-recorded, took place before Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip on Sunday, and ahead of the arrival in Israel today of Jared Kushner and US envoy Steve Witkoff.

“It’s a very difficult situation and a very complicated dynamic”Jared Kushner admitted. “Right now, Hamas is doing exactly what one would expect a terrorist organization to do, which is to try to regroup and regain its positions.”the envoy estimated.

But if there is “a viable alternative,” “Hamas will fail and Gaza will not be a threat to Israel in the future,” he said.

Answering a question about the prospect of a Palestinian state, Jared Kushner estimated that “the word ‘State’ means different things to different people.”

“What we are focused on right now is to create a situation of shared security and economic opportunity for Israelis and Palestinians to live peacefully side by side in a sustainable way.”he said.

Israel allows aid into Gaza again

Israel has resumed allowing humanitarian goods into the Gaza Strip after previously halting aid deliveries following what it said were terrorist attacks on its forces that killed two soldiers, Israeli security sources said today.

The Israeli political leadership ordered “humanitarian aid to continue entering the Gaza Strip through the Kerem Shalom border crossing and additional crossing points after Israeli inspection, in full compliance with the agreement signed,” an Israeli security forces official said.

However, it is not yet clear how many border crossings have actually reopened for aid delivery.

It is recalled that yesterday, Sunday, security forces stated that aid deliveries to the Gaza Strip were suspended due to the “blatant violation” of the ceasefire agreement by the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas.

According to the Israeli military, soldiers in the southern part of the Gaza Strip were attacked with an anti-tank missile yesterday, killing two soldiers. In response, Israel launched its heaviest airstrikes since the October 10 ceasefire agreement took effect.

Hamas says it is not behind the attacks.

Hospital sources said 44 Palestinians were killed in the Israeli raids.

At the same time, Israeli security forces sources also noted that the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt will remain closed to the movement of persons until further notice.

After the ceasefire was implemented, aid deliveries had been expanded under the agreement, aiming to reach 600 trucks per day.