Palm Beach, Florida – President-elect Donald Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, expressed optimism on Tuesday about securing progress on the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza ahead of Trump’s inauguration on January 20.
Speaking at a press conference in Palm Beach, Witkoff noted, “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.” Negotiations in Doha, Qatar, involving the U.S., Qatar, and Egypt, are focused on brokering a ceasefire in the ongoing Gaza conflict, with a priority on freeing hostages abducted during Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
Witkoff revealed his plans to potentially return to Doha by Wednesday night, underscoring the significance of ongoing talks. “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,” he added.
President-elect Trump reinforced the urgency of the matter, issuing a stark warning to Hamas. “All hell will break out in the Middle East” if the hostages are not released before he assumes office, Trump said. “It will not be good for Hamas, and it will not be good, frankly, for anyone.”
The conflict, ignited by the October 7 attack, has resulted in significant casualties and devastation. Hamas-led militants killed 1,200 people and captured over 250 hostages, including Israeli-American dual nationals, according to Israeli reports. More than 100 hostages have since been freed through negotiations or Israeli military operations. However, around 101 individuals remain captive, with roughly half believed to be alive.
The aftermath of the attack has seen Israel intensify its campaign against Hamas, resulting in over 45,000 Palestinian deaths, predominantly civilians, according to Palestinian health officials. The conflict has also displaced nearly the entire population of Gaza and left much of the territory in ruins.
As the January 20 inauguration approaches, all eyes remain on Doha and the possibility of a breakthrough in the protracted negotiations.