President Donald Trump’s envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, aimed to negotiate a “expansion” of Israeli Hamas hostage release and a ceasefire contract “expansion” when he returns to the region this week on Sunday. He said there was.
“We need to get an extension of Phase 1. And we’ll probably go to the area on Wednesday, maybe on Wednesday and negotiate it,” Witkoff said when he appeared on CNN’s “The State of the Union.” He spoke. “And hopefully there’s a proper time to start and finish phase 2 and finish it to release hostages, move this and move it forward.”
Israeli Strategy Minister Ron Dahmer, a close relative of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, reportedly met Witkov in Washington, D.C. last week.
Regarding the meeting, CNN’s Jake Tupper asked Witkov if Netanyahu wanted to move forward in a ceasefire.
Israel delays the release of Palestinian prisoners after Hamas’ humiliating treatment of hostages, Netanyahu says
The US Special Amendment to Steve Witcoff in the Middle East will speak at the FII Priority Summit held in Miami Beach, Florida on February 20, 2025. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Witkov said he believes the prime minister is “motivated” and wants to see “liberated hostages” “in order to protect the Israeli state.”
“And he has a red line,” Witkov said. “And he said what the red line is. That means Hamas won’t be able to engage in the governing body when this is resolved.”
“They cannot become part of Gaza’s governance,” the US envoy said of Hamas. “And as to what you know, exist, I’ll leave it to the Prime Minister for details.”
With the appearance of another Sunday show on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” Witkoff arrived in the Middle East “probably on a Wednesday evening” and went on to a variety of countries, including Qatar, Egypt, Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. He said he would visit. He added that the last remaining American hostage, Edan Alexander, is his number one priority in negotiations.
“He is in front of us and is the center,” Witkov said. “I know his parents. We talk all the time. He’s critical. That’s one of President Trump’s most important objectives: to bring all Americans home.
The woman has the image of Edan Alexander, a hostage. (Yuri Cortez/AFP via Getty Images)
The ruins of the two mothers killed, Silvivas, are said to have returned to Israel after Hamas’ broken promise
According to the protocol agreement on May 27, Witkov said that in Phase 2, both “permanent ceasefire, halting all violence” and “the fact that Hamas cannot return to the government” would be both Gaza. It was explained to include it.
“And I think the way you square that circle is that Hamas has to go. They have to leave,” Witkov said. The envoy said it was not free to say which country to take from Gaza during ongoing negotiations, but Gaza needs an expansion and reconstruction plan rather than a safe living environment for another 15-20 years after the war. He emphasized that.
The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said on Saturday night that “releasing terrorists planned yesterday in light of Hamas’ repeated violations, including the ironic exploitation of hostages for rituals and propaganda purposes that humiliate our hostages. It has been announced that it has been decided to delay the release of the next hostage, and without a humiliating ritual.”
Hamas Terrorists will display Israeli hostages before handing over to the International Red Cross Committee (ICRC) in Gaza on February 22, 2025 (Ashraf Amra/Anadoru via Getty Images)
In a video message Friday, Netanyahu accused Hamas of “brutally murdering” two young Israeli boys who were first returned to Israel without Siri Vivas, the remains of his mother. Netanyahu accused him of “a brave violation of their agreement,” and Hamas initially said that after a fierce standoff with a terrorist group, the actual body was later returned, and was rebuked on Saturday, and identified as Vivas. I handed over the wrong body for this.
Hamas handed over six more Israelis on Saturday with the latest Living Hostage Release.
As part of phase one of the ceasefire deals, Israel agreed to release nearly 2,000 prisoners and detainees in exchange for the remaining hostages. Approximately 1,200 people were killed, and about 250 were taken to Gaza hostages during Hamas’ attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. Approximately 60 hostages remain detained in Hamas, about half of which declared Israel dead.
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“I will not rest until the balebs who executed our hostages are brought to trial,” Netanyahu said Friday. “They don’t deserve to walk this earth. There’s nothing to stop me.”
Daniel Wallace is a news and political reporter for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to danielle.wallace@fox.com and to X:@danimwallace.
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