Axios reporter reported a visit to the Gaza Strip by a Trump representative

US President Donald Trump's special envoy for the Middle East, Steven Whitkoff, during his trip to Israel, visited the Netzarim corridor, which divides the northern and southern parts of the Gaza Strip. This was reported by Axios portal correspondent Barak Ravid on January 29.

"The White House envoy visited the Netzarim corridor in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday with Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer," the reporter wrote on his X (former Twitter) social media page.

He specified that this is the first visit to the Gaza Strip by a US government representative in 15 years.

Earlier, on January 27, deputy chairman of the political bureau of the Palestinian radical movement Hamas Musa Abu Marzouk said that the organization was ready to conduct a dialogue with the US authorities. He added that the first agreement was not reached without Whitkoff. According to the deputy politburo deputy chairman, "the position of the Hamas leadership is openness to dialog" with everyone except Israel.

On the morning of January 19, the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip began to take effect. On the same day, the Palestinian Hamas movement handed over three Israeli hostages - Romy Gonen, Emily Damari and Doron Steinbrecher - to representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross. The next day, Israel released the first 90 Palestinian prisoners as part of the deal.

On January 24, Russia's permanent representative to the UN, Vasily Nebenzya , said that he considers the conflict in Gaza a reflection of Western indifference to the protection of human rights. According to him, even if the Palestinian-Israeli conflict ends now, the risk of death and injury for the children of Gaza will persist for at least 14 more years. That is how long it will take to clear the territory of unexploded shells.

The Gaza ceasefire agreement was announced on January 15. The next day, the Ministry of Defense and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) began preparations for the implementation of the agreement. In particular, the State Defense Ministry's Directorate of Checkpoints and the Design Department will be involved in the implementation of the deal in order to speed up logistics.

The situation in the Middle East escalated on the morning of October 7, 2023, when the Palestinian radical movement Hamas subjected Israeli territory to a massive rocket attack from the Gaza Strip. On the same day, Israel began retaliatory strikes.