US President Donald Trump will chair a “large meeting” on Gaza at the White House on Wednesday, according to US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff.
The meeting will focus on a “very comprehensive plan” for the “day after” the current conflict.
Speaking with Fox News' Bret Baier on Tuesday, Witkoff addressed the future of the Gaza Strip and the ongoing efforts to end the war and secure the release of hostages.
Witkoff stated that "Hamas understands that they can have nothing to do with the government going forward. Those are terms of the Israelis and they're terms of President Trump as well."
When asked by Baier if Israel should be doing anything differently and what gives him optimism about an end to the conflict, Witkoff responded, “Well, we think that we're going to settle this one way or another, certainly before the end of this year. Hamas is now signaling that they're open to a settlement. The Israelis, when they announced this operation, also announced at the same time that they were funding $600 million of aid to go into Gaza.”
He continued, “And in addition to that, they also announced that they were open to continuing discussions with Hamas. So it's not a maximalist approach on the Israelis' part. They're indicating that they have accommodations to make if Hamas decides to make them.”
Witkoff also called on Hamas to demonstrate humanity toward the hostages. "And we've suggested, by the way, that Hamas can begin by feeding the hostages, by giving them medical attention, by letting the Red Cross in, by doing the humane thing. The President is a humanitarian. That's what he wants to see."