Trump to Chair Expanded Meeting on Gaza Amid Low Expectations for a Near Agreement
Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid has urged the right-wing religious government to strike a deal with Hamas to end the war and secure the release of the remaining hostages.
US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff announced that President Donald Trump will chair an “expanded meeting” on Gaza at the White House on Wednesday, adding that Washington expects the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to be resolved by the end of the year.
In a separate statement, the US State Department said that Secretary of State Marco Rubio would meet with his Israeli counterpart Gideon Sa’ar on Wednesday in Washington, noting that the meeting would take place at the department’s headquarters.
During his 2024 presidential campaign, Trump pledged to swiftly end the war in Gaza. Yet since taking office in January, that goal has remained elusive. His term began with a two-month ceasefire, which ended with Israeli airstrikes killing 400 Palestinians on March 18. In recent weeks, harrowing images of starving Palestinians, including children, have shocked global audiences and intensified criticism of Israel over the worsening humanitarian crisis.
When asked by Fox News whether there was a post-war plan for Gaza, Witkoff replied: “Yes, we have an expanded meeting tomorrow at the White House led by the President, and we are preparing a very comprehensive plan regarding the day after.”
Pressed on whether Israel should take different steps to end the conflict and free the hostages, he said: “We believe this matter will be resolved one way or another, certainly before the end of this year.”
Witkoff also confirmed that Israel remains open to talks with Hamas, noting that the group had expressed readiness to reach a settlement.
According to Gaza’s health authorities, Israel’s military offensive since October 2023 has killed more than 62,000 Palestinians and triggered mass hunger and displacement. These conditions have led to accusations against Israel of genocide and war crimes before international courts—charges that Israel denies.
Meanwhile, Yair Lapid pressed the Israeli government to accept a deal with Hamas to end the war and save the hostages. Israeli outlet Ynet reported that a senior official from a mediating country told Lapid that Israel had not yet responded to the latest proposal, which included 98 percent of the elements previously outlined by Witkoff. The plan proposed a 60-day ceasefire, during which 10 living hostages would be released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
Although Israel had accepted an earlier version of the plan—rejected at the time by Hamas—the new proposal received a “positive” response from the group. Yet the Israeli government now signals little interest in a partial deal.
Israeli media further reported that the current proposal includes redeploying Israeli forces closer to the border to ease the flow of humanitarian aid. The exchange would unfold in two phases: the release of 10 living hostages and the return of 18 Israeli bodies in exchange for Palestinian detainees.
Nevertheless, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ignored mediators’ calls, refusing to provide a response.
Hamas, for its part, has reiterated its willingness to release all Israeli hostages at once in exchange for ending the war, withdrawing Israeli troops from Gaza, and freeing Palestinian prisoners. Netanyahu, wanted by international courts, continues to impose new conditions, including the disarmament of Palestinian factions, and now insists on fully reoccupying Gaza.
Israeli estimates suggest that around 50 hostages remain in Gaza, including 20 alive, while more than 10,800 Palestinians are held in Israeli prisons, enduring torture, starvation, and medical neglect that have caused numerous deaths, according to human rights reports.
