Lebanon and Gaza on the table: US envoy in Israel ahead of Netanyahu's US visit

Report by Amal Shehadeh, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi 

Israeli right-wing factions expressed anger over images of Gazans returning to northern Gaza under Hamas supervision and Lebanese citizens returning to their southern villages under Hezbollah banners.

Meanwhile, U.S. envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, is set to arrive in Tel Aviv on Wednesday. His mission includes securing preliminary agreements on the contentious issues of Gaza and Lebanon, both of which will also feature prominently in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's discussions in Washington later this week.  

Regarding Gaza, efforts are focused on ensuring the success of negotiations for the second phase of the prisoner exchange deal. 

However, Israeli officials are not taking President Donald Trump's suggestion of relocating Gazans to Egypt or Jordan seriously.  

On Lebanon's file, political and military institutions face mounting criticism from northern residents, politicians, and senior security figures. This comes after Washington finalized February 18 as the target date for Israel's withdrawal, the deployment of the Lebanese Army, and the return of Hezbollah prisoners. 

Subsequently, Israel has not achieved its objectives of establishing a buffer zone or deploying surveillance bases along the Blue Line.  

During his talks, Witkoff is expected to deliver a clear message emphasizing Trump's desire to end the war without leaving gaps that could reignite tensions.  

Notably, Witkoff's arrival in Israel from Saudi Arabia is no coincidence. His visit highlights Washington's push to expand the Abraham Accords to include normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia. 

Yet, Riyadh remains firm in its demand for the establishment of a Palestinian state, a stance that could complicate relations between Washington and Tel Aviv.