President Donald Trump’s envoy to the Center East, Steve Witkoff, stated Sunday that he would goal to barter an “extension” of Part One of many Israel-Hamas hostage launch and ceasefire deal when he returns to the area this week.
“We have to get an extension of Phase One. And, so I’ll be going into the region this week, probably Wednesday, to negotiate that,” Witkoff stated throughout an look on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “And we’re hoping you have the proper time to finish off to begin Phase Two and finish it off and get more hostages released. And move this – move the discussion forward.”
Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, a detailed confidante of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, reportedly met with Witkoff in Washington, D.C., final week.
In regard to the assembly, CNN’s Jake Tapper requested Witkoff if he believes Netanyahu “wants to move forward with the ceasefire, or does he want to resume the war to try to eliminate Hamas?”
U.S. particular envoy to the Center East Steve Witkoff speaks throughout the FII Precedence Summit on Feb. 20, 2025, in Miami Seashore, Florida. (Joe Raedle/Getty Pictures)
Witkoff stated he believes the prime minister “is well-motivated” and desires to see “the hostages released,” as effectively “to protect the state of Israel.”
“And so he’s got a red line,” Witkoff stated. “And he said what the red line is, and that is that Hamas cannot be involved in a governing body when this thing is resolved.”
“They can’t be any part of governance in Gaza,” the U.S. envoy stated of Hamas. “And, you know, as to existing, I’d leave that – that detail to the prime minister.”
In one other Sunday present look on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” Witkoff stated he would arrive “probably Wednesday evening” within the Center East and would go to numerous nations, together with Qatar, Egypt, Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. He added that the final remaining residing American hostage, Edan Alexander, stays a high precedence in negotiations.
“He’s front and center for us,” Witkoff stated. “I know his parents. We talk all the time. He’s critical. It’s one of President Trump’s most important objectives is to get all Americans home. And we’re going to be successful in getting Edan home, I believe.”
A lady holds a picture of hostage Edan Alexander. (Yuri Cortez/AFP through Getty Pictures)
In response to the Might 27 protocol settlement, Witkoff defined that Part Two entails each “a permanent ceasefire, a cessation of all violence,” in addition to “the fact that Hamas cannot be allowed to come back into the government” in Gaza.
“And I think the way you square that circle is that Hamas has to go. They’ve got to leave,” Witkoff stated, including, “I would say physically, that’s correct.” The envoy stated he was not at liberty to say which nations would possibly soak up folks from Gaza throughout ongoing negotiations, however harassed that Gaza wouldn’t be a protected residing surroundings for an additional 15 to twenty years following the warfare and requires an extension reconstruction plan.
The Israeli Prime Minister’s Workplace introduced Saturday night time that “in light of Hamas’s repeated violations, including the ceremonies that humiliate our hostages and the cynical exploitation of our hostages for propaganda purposes, it has been decided to delay the release of terrorists that was planned for yesterday until the release of the next hostages has been assured, and without the humiliating ceremonies.”
Hamas terrorists show Israeli hostages earlier than handing them over to the Worldwide Committee of the Crimson Cross (ICRC) in Gaza on Feb. 22, 2025. (Ashraf Amra/Anadolu through Getty Pictures)
In a video message Friday, Netanyahu condemned how Hamas “brutally murdered” two younger Israeli boys, whose our bodies have been initially returned to Israel with out the stays of their mom, Shiri Bibas. In what Netanyahu decried as a “brazen violation of their agreement,” Hamas initially handed over the unsuitable physique for Bibas, whose precise stays have been later returned and recognized Saturday following an intense standoff with the terrorist group.
Hamas handed over one other six Israelis on Saturday within the newest scheduled launch of residing hostages.
As a part of Part One of many ceasefire deal, Israel agreed to launch practically 2,000 prisoners and detainees in trade for the remaining hostages. About 1,200 folks have been killed, and about 250 others have been taken in to Gaza as hostages throughout Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, assaults on southern Israel. About 60 hostages stay held by Hamas, roughly half of whom Israel has declared to be useless.
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“I will not rest until the savages who executed our hostages are brought to justice,” Netanyahu stated Friday. “They do not deserve to walk this Earth. Nothing will stop me.”
