Witkoff to visit Israel in bid to extend first phase of Gaza hostage pact

Witkoff said he believes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is ‘well-motivated’ to see the agreement with the terrorist group continue.

By JNS

Steve Witkoff, U.S. President Donald Trump’s envoy for the Middle East, plans to return to the region later this week for talks on extending the current first phase of the ceasefire and hostage release deal with the Hamas terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip, he told CNN on Sunday.

“We have to get an extension of Phase 1, and so I’ll be going into the region this week, probably Wednesday, to negotiate that,” the Mideast envoy told Jake Tapper on the channel’s “State of the Union” program.

“And we’re hopeful that we have the proper time … to begin Phase 2 and finish it off and get more hostages released,” Witkoff continued.

The first 42-day phase of the truce is currently set to end on March 1.

Witkoff said he believes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is “well-motivated” to see the agreement with the terrorist group continue.

“He wants to see hostages released, that’s for sure. He also wants to protect the State of Israel. And so he’s got a red line. 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,” Witkoff said of the upcoming talks.

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar told reporters on Feb. 18 that the Israeli Cabinet has decided to start talks on Phase 2 of the ceasefire.

As part of the talks, Jerusalem will demand the complete disarmament of Hamas and other terrorist organizations in the Strip, Sa’ar stressed.

And as part of Phase 2, Jerusalem will reportedly also demand the release of all hostages in addition to the expulsion of the Hamas leadership from Gaza and the dismantling of its terrorist army. Officials in Jerusalem believe that Hamas is likely to reject the demands.

Asked about Netanyahu’s demands, Witkoff told CNN, “I would say at this point, for sure, they can’t be any part of governance in Gaza.” He added, “As to existing, I’d leave that detail to the prime minister.”

Trump said on Friday that it is for Jerusalem to decide whether to resume the war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip or join the second round of talks to free additional captives.

Asked by Brian Kilmeade on Fox News whether he was “okay either way,” Trump answered, “I am.”

Israel on Saturday redeemed six living hostages from Hamas captivity in the Gaza Strip: Eliya Cohen, 27, Avera Mengistu, 39, Hisham al-Sayed, 36, Omer Shem Tov, 22, Tal Shoham, 40, and Omer Wenkert, 23.

According to official estimates, 63 hostages remain in Hamas captivity in Gaza more than 500 days after the terrorist group’s Oct. 7, 2023, massacre, 36 of which have officially been confirmed as having been murdered.