Israeli representatives were en route on February 25 to attend talks on the next phase of a Gaza ceasefire deal following an agreement on exchanging Palestinian prisoners for the bodies of Israeli hostages, according to a US envoy.
Steve Witkoff, US President Donald Trump’s point person on the Middle East, reiterated his readiness to head back to the region to support diplomacy efforts.
“We’re making a lot of progress. Israel is sending a team right now as we speak,” Witkoff said during an event in Washington for the American Jewish Committee. “It’s either going to be in Doha or in Cairo, where negotiations will begin again with the Egyptians and the Qataris,” he added.
In January, Egypt, Qatar, and the United States – in an unprecedented joint effort between Trump’s diplomatic team and the administration of former president Joe Biden – reached an agreement after months of diplomacy to pause more than a year of bloodshed in Gaza.
On February 25, mediators announced the restoration of a swop that was part of the first phase of the deal, which is set to conclude on March 1. Israel agreed to release 600 Palestinian prisoners, who were scheduled for release last week, in exchange for the bodies of four Israeli hostages.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had previously delayed the deal due to what he described as “humiliating ceremonies” held by Hamas to free the hostages. Hamas initiated the war with an attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
Witkoff stated that the focus of the new talks would be to “put phase two on track and have some additional hostage release – and we think that’s a real possibility.”
He added that he might join the negotiations on March 2 “if it goes well,” having previously mentioned his plans to travel to the region this week.