By- Radio ML
The US Department of Defense, "Pentagon," said that Secretary Pete Hegseth informed the Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz that the United States "fully supports Israel's right to defend itself," as he put it. The US envoy to the Middle East, Steve Whitkoff, visited Gaza on Wednesday, then met with the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Whitkoff, whose visit to Gaza was confirmed by a White House official, is touring the Middle East to oversee the implementation of the ceasefire between the occupation forces and Hamas. No details were disclosed about Whitkoff's visit to Gaza, which included inspecting the Netzarim axis, through which tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians passed while returning to their homes in the northern part of the strip. The occupation began withdrawing from the corridor last Monday, allowing Gazans to return as part of the first phase of the ceasefire, which will also see the release of 33 prisoners in exchange for the release of around 2000 Palestinian detainees. The US envoy to the Middle East arrived in the occupied Palestinian territories on his private plane before his visit to the strip. Previous reports indicated that Whitkoff requested to meet the four female soldiers who were released in a prisoner exchange deal.