Senior officials from the US, Israel, and Qatar engaged in secret discussions at the White House on Tuesday to address the key remaining issue in the ongoing negotiations for a ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza, according to Axios.
The talks, held amid pressure from President Trump, focused on the critical sticking point: the Israel Defense Forces' (IDF) withdrawal lines during a proposed 60-day truce. President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met twice in the last 48 hours, as efforts to finalize a deal intensify.
White House envoy Steve Witkoff stated that three of the four key disagreements had been resolved recently. However, the contentious issue of the IDF’s redeployment remains unresolved. Sources indicated that a significant debate over this matter occurred during the undisclosed meeting.
According to the report, before Trump and Netanyahu met, Witkoff had discussions with a senior Qatari official and Netanyahu’s top advisor, Ron Dermer. These talks centered on the proposed redeployment of IDF forces, with the Qatari official expressing concerns over Israel’s proposed map, which indicated a narrower withdrawal than in previous ceasefire agreements.
The Qatari official warned that Hamas would likely reject Israel’s proposal, potentially causing the talks to collapse. Witkoff emphasized that a plan resembling the "Smotrich plan"—named after Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich—would be unacceptable to the Trump administration, as it would result in continued Israeli occupation of large parts of Gaza.
In response, Dermer highlighted the pressure Netanyahu faces within his coalition, stating that any decision would require Cabinet approval. Following the meeting, Israel presented a new map that includes a broader IDF withdrawal, leading to positive developments in the negotiations.
Although gaps remain, the updated map significantly improved the chances of a deal, which would see the release of 18 hostages and the remains of 10 deceased hostages during the ceasefire.
Axios reported that Netanyahu could meet again with Trump before his scheduled departure from Washington on Thursday evening.