US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff recently expressed sharp disagreement with Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza during a meeting with the families of hostages, according to a Channel 12 report. Witkoff reportedly stated that in his view, brokering a new ceasefire deal that includes the release of hostages is the most viable next step.
Per the report, Witkoff told the hostage families that the American objective is clear: “We want to return the hostages, but Israel is not ready to end the war.”
Sources who were present at the meeting quoted Witkoff as saying, “Israel is prolonging the war, even though we do not see where further progress can be made.”
Witkoff reportedly added, “Still, there is currently a window of opportunity that we hope Israel and all the mediators will take advantage of. We are putting pressure on all the mediators and doing everything to return the hostages.”
Family members reportedly told Channel 12 that this level of public criticism from Witkoff regarding Israel’s handling of the war is unprecedented and a notable shift in tone.
Unnamed senior Israeli officials, meanwhile, told the network that “If there are no agreements by the end of [President Donald] Trump’s visit to the Middle East, Israel will launch a ground operation and it will take several weeks until the next ‘exit point’. We won’t agree to quickly halt, once we have begun the intensified operation. Hamas will not determine the timeline.”
Although critical, the officials echoed part of Witkoff’s sentiment by acknowledging that “a window of opportunity” exists. They stressed that it’s incumbent upon the mediators to communicate this to Hamas as clearly as possible.
According to the Channel 12 report, Israel is entertaining a number of potential arrangements — one variation being dubbed internally as a “Witkoff proposal-minus.” Nonetheless, officials emphasized that if Hamas continues to resist compromise, an escalated offensive will be the only viable course, with no short-term end in sight. Under the plan attributed to Witkoff, approximately half of the remaining hostages would be freed in exchange for a prolonged ceasefire.
Currently, Witkoff is said to be actively engaging with influential players in the region, aiming to lock in a workable deal within the coming days.
Walla news adds that Witkoff is presently in communication with Hamas, Qatar, Egypt, and Israel, focusing on reaching a hostage agreement and laying the groundwork for lasting stability.
{Matzav.com}