Steve Witkoff met with Netanyahu and Qatar's PM for Gaza ceasefire talks

5/12/2024 5:53

        Donald Trump's incoming Middle East envoy has traveled to
        Qatar and Israel to kick-start the U.S. president-elect's
        diplomatic push to reach a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release
        deal before he takes office on Jan 20, a source briefed on the
        talks told Reuters.
        
        Steve Witkoff, the incoming envoy, met separately in late
        November with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and
        Qatar's prime minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani,
        the source said.
        
        The meetings signal that the Gulf state of Qatar has resumed
        its role as a key mediator after suspending its role last month,
        the source said.
        
        The Gulf country had worked alongside the U.S. and Egypt for
        months on fruitless indirect talks that have not achieved a
        lasting ceasefire between Israel and militant group Hamas in
        Gaza or the release of dozens of Israeli hostages held in the
        enclave.
        
        The source added that Hamas negotiators would likely return
        to the Qatari capital Doha to facilitate a fresh round of talks
        "soon".
        
        A U.S. official confirmed that Trump's team has been in
        touch with Middle East officials.
        
        "They are supportive of a Gaza ceasefire deal," the official
        told Reuters.
        
        Trump's transition team and representatives for Witkoff did
        not immediately respond to a request for comment the meetings.
        
        The White House National Security Council did not
        immediately respond to questions on whether they were aware of
        Witkoff's trips in recent weeks to Qatar and Israel.
        
        Trump said on Monday there would be "hell to pay" in the
        Middle East if hostages held in the Gaza Strip were not released
        prior to his Jan. 20 inauguration
        
        Witkoff, a real estate investor and Trump campaign donor
        with business ties to Qatar and other Gulf states, but no prior
        diplomatic experience, met Sheikh Mohammed, who also serves as
        foreign minister, in Doha on Nov 22.
        
        "Both agreed a Gaza ceasefire is needed before Trump's
        inauguration so that once the Trump administration takes office
        it can move onto other issues, like stabilizing Gaza and the
        region," said the source, who had been briefed on meetings
        between Witkoff, Qatar and Israel and spoke on the condition of
        anonymity.
        
        Qatar's foreign ministry did not respond to Reuters' request
        for confirmation or comment.
        
        Witkoff met Netanyahu in Israel the next day. The Israeli
        prime minister's office did not immediately respond to Reuters'
        request for comment.
        
        Witkoff met families of Israeli hostages, an Israeli
        official told Reuters.
        
        He "spoke with them about Team Trump's efforts to try and
        broker the deal before inauguration," the official said.
        
        Sheikh Mohammed traveled to Vienna on Nov 24 to meet the
        director of Israel's Mossad spy agency David Barnea, who has led
        Israel's talks with Qatar over the last 14 months.
        
        "There are plans for a subsequent round of indirect talks
        between Israel and Hamas to take place potentially in Doha soon,
        but no specific date has been set," the source said.
        
        "Hamas' negotiating team are likely to return to Doha to
        facilitate such talks."
        
        Qatar had been a key mediator of the indirect talks between
        Israel and Hamas until it announced last month it was suspending
        its role until they the two parties show "willingness and
        seriousness" to resume talks.