US special envoy Steve Witkoff announced on Tuesday that President Donald Trump will personally chair a meeting on Gaza at the White House on Wednesday. He also said Washington expects the conflict between Israel and Hamas to reach a settlement before the end of this year.
Why it matters
Trump had promised during the 2024 U.S. election campaign that he would quickly end the war in Gaza. After taking office in January, he repeated that pledge. However, nearly seven months into his presidency, the conflict remains unresolved.
At the start of Trump’s term, a fragile ceasefire lasted for two months. It collapsed on March 18 when Israeli airstrikes killed around 400 Palestinians. In recent weeks, disturbing images of starving Palestinians, including children, have sparked global outrage and fueled criticism of Israel’s military actions.
Key quotes from Witkoff
When asked on Fox News’ Special Report with Bret Baier if the U.S. had a post-war plan for Gaza, Witkoff replied, “Yes, we’ve got a large meeting in the White House tomorrow, chaired by the president, and it’s a very comprehensive plan we’re putting together on the next day.”
He also expressed confidence about the timeline for ending the conflict, “We think that we’re going to settle this one way or another, certainly before the end of this year.”
Witkoff added that Israel was willing to continue talks with Hamas, while Hamas had also shown interest in a potential settlement.
The wider context
Israel launched its assault on Gaza in October 2023 after Hamas fighters crossed into Israel, killed 1,200 people, and took about 250 hostages, according to Israeli figures. Since then, the war has devastated Gaza.
Gaza health authorities report that Israeli attacks have killed more than 62,000 Palestinians. The strikes have displaced the entire population, created a severe hunger crisis, and triggered accusations of genocide and war crimes at international courts—charges that Israel strongly denies.
The conflict, one of the bloodiest chapters in the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian struggle, has now entered its eleventh month with no clear resolution.