Trump envoy hails 'really great progress' in Gaza cease-fire talks
Steve Witkoff, President-elect Donald Trump's Middle East envoy, expressed optimism on Tuesday about the situation of hostages in Gaza, hoping to have positive updates by the time Trump takes office on January 20. Witkoff mentioned significant progress being made, particularly in Doha, and planned to return there soon to continue negotiations.
- World
- Reuters
- Published Date: 09:32 | 07 January 2025
- Modified Date: 10:11 | 07 January 2025
President-elect Donald Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff said on Tuesday he hopes to have good things to report about hostages in Gaza by the time Trump is sworn in as U.S. president on Jan. 20.
"Well, I think we're making a lot of progress, and I don't want to say too much because I think they're doing a really good job back in Doha," Witkoff said at a Trump press conference in Palm Beach, Florida.
Witkoff said that if he did not travel back to Doha on Tuesday night, he would head there on Wednesday night.
"I think that we've had some really great progress, and I'm really hopeful that by the inaugural, we'll have some good things to announce on behalf of the president," Witkoff said.
Trump, a Republican who will succeed Democratic President Joe Biden, repeated his threat that "all hell will break out in the Middle East" if Hamas does not release the hostages by the time he takes office.
"It will not be good for Hamas, and it will not be good, frankly, for anyone," he said.
At least 835 Palestinians have also been killed and nearly 6,700 others injured by Israeli army fire in the occupied West Bank, according to Palestinian figures.
In November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.