US Special Mideast Envoy Steve Witkoff acknowledged on Thursday that progressing to the second stage of the Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal is proving to be a tougher challenge, but added that he remains optimistic that a resolution can be reached.
Speaking at a Saudi investment summit, Witkoff described the second phase as "more difficult, but ultimately, if we work hard there's a real chance for success. Everybody is buying into this notion that releasing hostages is just a good thing, something that's important and ought to happen."
Expanding on the complexities of the negotiations, Witkoff noted, "The issue with [Stage] Two is that there's supposed to be an end to the war and the Israelis have a red line that Hamas cannot be in the government. It's hard to square that circle, but we're making a lot of progress in that conversation, and hopefully it leads to good things and good results."
He expressed hope that momentum from the first stage would carry over into the second, particularly given the anguish faced by families with loved ones still being held hostage.
"I hope a lot of the good will from the first [stage] carries over to [Stage] Two because there are a lot of families who have children there who are held hostage," he said. He added, "I have a lot of empathy because I lost a child. I talk to these families, and they want their children's bodies back as much as those who have children alive."
Witkoff also commented on Trump's Gaza proposal, which involves the relocation of Gazans to neighboring countries as the US takes over the region and rehabilitates it, arguing that the media has misrepresented the former president’s intentions.
"In typical fashion, the president said some things and it got misconstrued. The basic premise was that why should we try a solution that hasn't worked in the last 50 years? It makes no sense. When I went to Gaza, it made no sense to me," he stated. "When you see the utter devastation, you realize this is something that cannot be completed in five years."
"That doesn't mean we're on an eviction plan, it means he wants to shake up everyone's thinking," added Witkoff. "What is compelling for that area and what is the best solution for the Palestinian people in Gaza? Do they want to live in a home there or resettle in some better place, have jobs and upside financial prospects. The president has engendered a conversation throughout the entire Arab world about different types of solutions that people would have never considered. I think that's a good thing."
