US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff is planning to head to the Middle East this week to promote a new round of ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.
The US State Department spokesperson, Tammy Bruce, said on Tuesday (July 22) that President Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Witkoff himself have expressed “strong hope” for reaching an agreement. Bruce also mentioned that the Trump administration is working on opening a humanitarian aid corridor to allow more supplies to enter the war-torn region, stating that “both parties have in fact agreed to this arrangement.”
Bruce stated in a briefing, “I would say we may have some good news, but as we know, this is an evolving situation.”
Bruce did not disclose which specific locations Witkoff will be visiting for ceasefire negotiations this time.
The Gaza conflict has been ongoing for over 21 months since it erupted on October 7, 2023, with only two brief ceasefires in late November 2023 and January 2025.
The first ceasefire lasted about a week, during which Hamas released around 100 Israeli hostages in exchange for Israel releasing over 200 Palestinian prisoners. The second ceasefire took place on the last day of President Biden’s term, with the US proposing a three-phase plan to gradually end hostilities and release the remaining hostages.
The initial stages of the ceasefire went smoothly, but disagreements arose between the parties as they entered the second phase, leading to the collapse of the agreement in March of this year. Israel’s negotiators supported a proposal put forward by Witkoff to extend the conditions of the first phase of the ceasefire; however, Hamas aimed for the second phase, which required Israel to fully withdraw from Gaza in return for the release of all remaining hostages.
With negotiations deadlocked, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a halt to humanitarian aid entering Gaza on March 2 and resumed airstrikes on March 17.
According to a source involved in the mediation speaking to the Israeli Times, the US is pushing for a 60-day ceasefire agreement. Under this draft, Hamas would release 10 surviving hostages and 18 hostage bodies in exchange for Israel releasing an unspecified number of Palestinian prisoners and allowing significant humanitarian aid into Gaza. During the ceasefire, the parties would engage in negotiations for the second phase to discuss a permanent ceasefire and the handling of the remaining 22 hostages, approximately 10 of whom are believed to be still alive.
Negotiations have been ongoing since July 6, with no substantive breakthrough to date.
After Israel agreed last week to no longer insist on maintaining a specific level of troops during the ceasefire, mediators were briefly optimistic. However, sources indicated that Hamas delayed its response and even claimed difficulty in reaching its leadership in Gaza, leading some to view this as a stalling tactic. Mediators have warned that if Hamas does not make a constructive response promptly, the US will withdraw its assurance for Israel to continue participating in the negotiations.
Bruce mentioned during a press conference on Tuesday that Rubio had informed her that Witkoff is currently preparing to travel to the Middle East. However, a source informed the Israeli Times that Witkoff is still in the US and is expected to head to Europe before going to Doha on Wednesday. The source emphasized that unless there is substantial progress in the negotiations, Witkoff will not personally travel to Doha.
Three US officials also confirmed to the Associated Press that Witkoff does have a European itinerary this week to discuss Gaza and ceasefire issues but did not reveal whether he would proceed to the Middle East afterward.
Nevertheless, an Arab diplomat familiar with the negotiations informed the Israeli Times that the overall trend is positive, with the possibility of reaching an agreement in the coming days.