The post US envoy Steve Witkoff meets Smotrich, Deri and Dermer in Jerusalem appeared first on The Times of Israel.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared before the Tel Aviv District Court in his corruption trial after a month-long pause.

The visit by the envoy, Steven Witkoff, was set to take place as Israeli and Hamas officials prepared for a new round of negotiations aimed at cementing the current cease-fire in Gaza and allowing more exchanges of hostages and Palestinian prisoners.

On Thursday, laws passed by Israel in October come into effect banning the UN's Palestinian refugee agency, known as UNRWA, from Israeli territory and prohibiting Israeli officials from any contact with the agency.

Trump sent Witkoff to ensure the ceasefire agreement advances to the second phase, which will require hashing out more thorny questions about Gaza’s future.

The visit will make the Israeli prime minister the first foreign leader to be invited to Trump's residence since he took office last week.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should be flying high. Israel’s enemies across the region have been badly weakened during 15 months of war.

US President Donald Trump's special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, said on Thursday he believes that

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces a potentially disastrous showdown within the next month that could shake his hold on power, unless he manages to deter the strongly held positions of the foreign and domestic politicians and political forces on which he is dependent.

Hamas confirmed for the first time on Thursday that Israeli killed the head of its military wing, Mohammed Deif, in an airstrike last year. Deif was one of the alleged