US special envoy Steve Witkoff said on Tuesday that President Donald Trump will lead a meeting on Gaza at the White House on Wednesday and added that Washington expects Israel's war in the Palestinian territory to end by the end of the year.
The U.S. State Department said separately that Secretary of State Marco Rubio will meet with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar in Washington on Wednesday. This was announced in an official daily schedule that said the meeting at the State Department would take place at 3:15 p.m. ET (7:15 p.m. GMT).
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
Trump had promised a quick end to the war in Gaza during the 2024 presidential campaign and after taking office in January, but almost seven months into his term, that goal remains unachieved.
Trump's term began with a two-month ceasefire that ended when Israeli airstrikes killed about 400 Palestinians on March 18. In recent weeks, images of starving Palestinians in Gaza, including children, have shocked the world and increased criticism of Israel for worsening conditions.
MAIN STATEMENTS
Asked on Fox News' "Special Report with Bret Baier" if there is a post-war plan for Gaza, Witkoff said:
"Yes, we have a big meeting at the White House tomorrow, led by the president, and it's a very comprehensive plan that we're preparing the day after."
He did not provide further details and did not mention the meeting participants.
Asked if Israel should have done anything differently to end the war and secure the release of the hostages, Witkoff said:
"We think we will resolve this one way or another, certainly before the end of this year."
Witkoff said Israel was open to continuing discussions with the Palestinian militant group Hamas. He said Hamas had signaled it was open to a deal.
context
Israel's devastating assault on Gaza since October 2023 has killed more than 62,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities. It has also caused a famine, displaced Gaza's entire population within the territory, and led to charges of genocide and war crimes in international courts, which Israel denies.
The latest violence in the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict flared in October 2023 when Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages, according to Israeli data.
