I. Legislative Branch
1) Personnel and Correspondence
Senate Democrats Urge Trump to Reinforce Opposition to West Bank Annexation. On October 21, Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) led 45 other Senate Democrats in a letter to President Donald Trump urging him to reaffirm his opposition to Israel’s possible annexation of the occupied West Bank.
Lawmakers Urge Administration to Secure Release of Palestinian-American Teen Detained by Israel. On October 21, Sens. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR), along with Reps. Kathy Castor (D-FL) and Maxwell Frost (D-FL), led 23 other lawmakers from both chambers in sending a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee expressing concern over the detention of Mohammed Zaher Ibrahim, a 16-year-old American citizen who has been held in Israeli custody since February 16, 2025. Mohammed is the first cousin of Saifullah Kamel Musallet, a 20-year-old US citizen who was reportedly killed by Israeli settlers in July 2025.
2) Hearings and Briefings
Senate Reviews Nomination for US Ambassador to Kuwait. On October 23, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee held a hearing on the nomination of Amer Ghalib, the Yemeni-American mayor of Hamtramck, Michigan, as US ambassador to Kuwait. Lawmakers from both parties grilled Ghalib—who campaigned for President Trump in 2024—about allegedly making antisemitic and anti-Israel remarks.
II. Executive Branch
1) White House
Trump Claims Mideast Allies Are Ready to Fight Hamas. On October 21, President Trump said that if Hamas violates the ceasefire, “numerous” US allies in the Middle East would “welcome the opportunity” to respond to the group with “a heavy force,” adding that “an end to Hamas will be FAST, FURIOUS, & BRUTAL!” On October 25, Trump said that Hamas must quickly return all the bodies of deceased Israeli hostages “or the other Countries involved in this GREAT PEACE will take action.”
Vance Visits Israel to Support Gaza Ceasefire Implementation. On October 21-23, Vice President JD Vance visited Israel amid US efforts to keep the Gaza ceasefire on track. During a press conference, Vance expressed optimism that the agreement would hold, saying “things are going, frankly, better than I expected.” He downplayed suggestions that his visit was urgently arranged to keep the ceasefire in place, and warned that if Hamas does not cooperate, it will be “obliterated.”
US Officials Criticize Israeli Parliament’s Vote on West Bank Annexation. On October 23, Vice President Vance criticized a vote in Israel’s parliament on annexing the occupied West Bank. Vance called the vote “weird” and said that “we certainly weren’t happy about it.” He stated that if it was a “political stunt, it was a very stupid political stunt, and I personally took some insult to it.” Vance reaffirmed that “the West Bank is not going to be annexed by Israel,” calling it the “policy of the Trump administration” that “will continue to be our policy.” His remarks followed Secretary Rubio’s warning the previous day, before departing for his own visit to Israel, that the Knesset’s action could threaten the peace deal.
On October 23, Trump told reporters at the White House that Israel is “not going to do anything with the West Bank.” On the same day, TIME Magazine reported that Trump, in an October 15 interview, had said that Israel “would lose all of its support” from the United States if it annexed the West Bank, adding, “it won’t happen because I gave my word to the Arab countries.”
Trump Thanks Qatar for Mediation Efforts. On October 25, during a brief stopover in Qatar on his way to Malaysia, Trump held talks with Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. Trump thanked Qatar for its role in bringing “peace to the Middle East.” Afterwards, Trump told reporters that the truce will continue to hold, and if not, “Hamas will not be hard to take care of.”
2) Department of State
Rubio Speaks with Iraqi Prime Minister. On October 21, Secretary Rubio spoke with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani to discuss finalizing US commercial deals in Iraq and efforts to disarm Iran-backed militias. Rubio also congratulated Sudani on the resumption of oil exports through the Iraq-Turkey Pipeline.
Rubio Meets with Netanyahu. On October 23, Rubio met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss Trump’s Gaza peace plan. On October 25, Rubio spoke by telephone with Netanyahu regarding the peace plan.
Rubio Says Gaza Stabilization Force Must Include Countries Israel Is Comfortable With. On October 24, speaking at a press conference in Israel, Rubio said that an international stabilization force to be deployed in Gaza under the ceasefire agreement must be composed of people and countries that Israel is “comfortable with.” He noted that several nations are interested in joining the stabilization force but need more clarity on its mission and rules of engagement. Rubio also said that the United States could call for a UN resolution to support the force, adding that the United States has been in talks with Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey regarding participation, and noting potential interest from Indonesia and Azerbaijan.
Rubio asserted that the future of governance in Gaza still needs to be worked out with Israel and partner nations, but cannot include Hamas, and that any potential role for the Palestinian Authority has yet to be determined. Rubio said that UNRWA cannot play a role in Gaza, describing it as a “subsidiary of Hamas.”
3) Department of War
CENTCOM Opens Gaza Coordination Hub in Israel. On October 21, CENTCOM announced the opening of the Civil-Military Coordination Center (CMCC) in Kiryat Gat, Israel, to monitor the Gaza ceasefire and coordinate humanitarian aid. According to CENTCOM, US military personnel will not deploy inside Gaza. The CMCC features “an operations floor that allows staff to assess real-time developments in Gaza,” and in the coming weeks is set to incorporate representatives from partner nations, NGOs, international institutions, and the private sector.
Steven Fagin, a career diplomat who has served as US ambassador to Yemen since 2022, was appointed on October 24 as the civilian lead of the CMCC. US Army Central Lt. Gen. Patrick Frank is serving as its military lead.
On October 21, Vice President Vance, alongside Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, attended a security briefing at the CMCC. Kushner said that the United States was considering having reconstruction begin in the roughly 53 percent of Gaza still under Israeli control to “give the Palestinians living in Gaza a place to go, a place to get jobs, a place to live,” adding that no reconstruction funds would go to areas still controlled by Hamas.
United States Flies Drones Over Gaza to Monitor Ceasefire. On October 24, The New York Times reported that the US military is operating surveillance drones over the Gaza Strip as part of the Trump administration’s efforts to ensure that both Israel and Hamas adhere to the ceasefire agreement.
AFRICOM Strikes Somalia. On October 20 and 24, US forces conducted airstrikes against the so-called Islamic State in Somalia.
4) Department of the Treasury
Secretary Bessent Meets with Qatari, Israeli, and German Officials. On October 20, the Department of the Treasury issued a readout of Secretary Bessent’s October 13 meeting with Qatari Minister of Finance Ali bin Ahmed al-Kuwari to discuss Trump’s Gaza peace plan, Qatari investment priorities, and continuing the US pressure campaign on Iran. On October 20, Bessent met with Israeli Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich to discuss the Gaza deal and the expansion of the Abraham Accords. That same day, he also met with German Vice Chancellor and Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil to discuss US-European cooperation on additional sanctions against Iran.
5) Department of Justice
ICE Detains British Journalist, Israel Critic at SFO. On October 26, US immigration authorities detained British journalist and political commentator Sami Hamdi at San Francisco International Airport, revoked his visa, and announced he would be deported instead of being allowed to complete his speaking tour in the United States. Hamdi is an outspoken critic of Israeli policy and supporter of Palestinian rights. Following the arrest, the Department of State said that the United States “has no obligation to host foreigners who support terrorism and actively undermine the safety of Americans,” and that it will “continue to revoke the visas of persons engaged in such activity.”
