President-elect Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Israel on Saturday to push for a Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal, Israeli officials said. Why it matters: Witkoff's traveled to Israel from Qatar as part of a last-minute effort by Trump to press all parties involved in the negotiations to conclude the deal before Jan.

(Jan. 11, 2025 / JNS) — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met on Saturday afternoon with President-elect Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, in what was described as a “surprise visit” to discuss the multilateral negotiations with Hamas for the release of Israeli hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza.

Steve Witkoff met the Israeli prime minister on Saturday following a visit to Doha amid efforts to secure a hostage deal and Gaza ceasefire.

Donald Trump threatened to unleash “hell” if the Hamas hostages are not released soon, as Biden officials note “constructive” discussions with the transition team.

President-elect Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff, arrived in Israel on Saturday after talks in Qatar regarding the hostage deal. A senior Israeli official also stated on Saturday that progress has been made in negotiations over the hostage deal in Qatar.

US President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming special envoy to the Middle East, Steven Witkoff, arrived in Israel on Saturday to discuss a Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal, Axios reporter Barak Ravid wrote in a post on X,

President-elect Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Israel on Saturday to push for a Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal, Israeli officials said. Why it matters: Witkoff's traveled to Israel from Qatar as part of a last-minute effort by Trump to press all parties involved in the negotiations to conclude the deal before Jan.

Netanyahu's hostage envoy tries to assure families of captives that government not abandoning their loved ones by pushing for agreement in which they'll be released in phases The post Biden: ‘Real progress’ being made in hostage talks,