This comes as his Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, announced an extensive meeting at the White House today, Wednesday, to discuss the situation in Gaza. During a government meeting at the White House, Trump said that the situation in Gaza has persisted for a long time without definitive solutions, expressing hope for resolving the crises in Gaza and between Russia and Ukraine soon, but noted that decisive results cannot be expected within weeks. Trump had mentioned last Monday that the situation in Gaza was “very bad,” expecting a positive outcome within two or three weeks.
Witkoff, in statements to Fox News, confirmed that intensive meetings will be held this week to discuss the conflicts in Gaza, Iran, Russia, and Ukraine, expressing hope for reaching a settlement before the end of 2025. He pointed to a comprehensive plan for the day after the end of the war in Gaza, reflecting Trump’s humanitarian motives, affirming the United States’ desire to return all prisoners. Witkoff accused Hamas of disrupting a deal that had been on the table for weeks, noting that Israeli pressure forced it to accept the settlement, while confirming that Hamas will not have a role in governing Gaza in the future, which is an Israeli and American condition.
In response to the killing of civilians, including journalists, Witkoff described it as a tragedy, while stressing that the decision to eliminate Hamas is not within his jurisdiction, emphasizing the need to reach an agreement that guarantees the release of prisoners from both sides. In a related context, the U.S. State Department announced a meeting between Minister Marco Rubio and his Israeli counterpart Gideon Sa’ar in Washington, today, Wednesday. CNN reported that Israeli Ambassador Yehiel Leiter stated that Israel is considering a temporary ceasefire agreement in Gaza, with continued military pressure alongside negotiations.
Conversely, Democratic Representative Gregory Meeks warned that the continuation of the war could isolate Israel internationally, calling for a halt to the sale of offensive weapons to it if it does not commit to a ceasefire and the introduction of aid. He criticized the continuation of the war, considering it a failure to eliminate Hamas or return prisoners, calling on Israel to stop expanding settlements in the West Bank. Since October 2023, Israel continues its war on Gaza with American support, ignoring international calls and International Court of Justice orders to stop the fighting, leading to the destruction of the health sector and the killing of more than 62,000 people and injuring 158,000, in addition to 300 martyrs due to starvation, including 117 children, according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza.
