Witkoff Arrives In Cairo as Delegations Gather for Talks to Implement Hostage Release Phase of Trump Plan
Oct. 5—Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, accompanied by Presidential son-in-law, has arrived in Cairo for talks that will implement the first phase of President Donald Trump's plan to end Prime Minister Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu's slaughter of Palestinians in Gaza and gain the release of all 48 hostages, living and dead, held by Hamas.
He will join delegations of mediators from Egypt, Qatar and Turkey, as well as negotiators from Hamas who have arrived from Doha, and from Israel led by Netanyahu's right-hand man, Security Minister Ron Dermer, for talks that Trump wants to quickly resolve the technical issues involved in the release of the hostages by Hamas and Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. This will include a total ceasefire and an end to military operations by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and their withdrawal to positions held in August, as indicated by a yellow line on maps that have already been provided to Hamas by Israel.
Next Steps: Withdrawal, Disarmament, and Governance
The negotiations are then to proceed to clarify other terms and timetables in the plan, and will tackle the issue of phased withdrawal from Gaza of the IDF to positions near the Israeli border, the disarmament of Hamas and the offer of amnesty to its members, who could choose to stay disarmed in Gaza or go into exile; the creation of an International Security Force (ISF), from Arab nations that would keep the peace in Gaza; and the creation of a provisional government of Palestinians, who would rule in Gaza until such time that the Palestinian Authority, which rules in the other Israeli-occupied territories in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, is deemed ready to take over in Gaza.
Clarifications Demanded
None of the above points in the plan have been offered with any but vague detail, and Hamas has said they want them clarified and negotiated. Trump has said that he wants these issues resolved quickly and he does not want any delay in the release of the hostages and prisoners.
Sources close to the White House as well as others in the region close to the negotiations say that, while the plan is to be considered in its entirety, the hostage/prisoner exchange could take place once its terms are worked out and the IDF and Hamas cease all attacks, and the IDF withdraws to the yellow line, and is not contingent on resolving all the issues.
Assurances and Humanitarian Demands
"That said," a source with regional connections reported, "Hamas wants an assurance that Israel will not restart the war once it has the hostages. That assurance has already been communicated from Trump to Hamas, prior to the talks. Hamas has also asked that the immediate free flow of humanitarian supplies and the UN and Red Crescent agencies to distribute them be linked to this first phase of the deal. Trump has agreed to this, but Israel has not yet agreed. Again, Trump has communicated to Hamas that he will make sure this happens."
Trump said in an interview with CNN this morning that he believes Hamas is committed to the peace deal and wants peace, but we will see very shortly if this is true, referring to the talks which will begin tomorrow.
Concerns Over Netanyahu’s Compliance
While Trump publicly expresses worry about Hamas complying with the deal, White House sources remain worried about whether Netanyahu, the Butcher of Gaza, will comply. These sources report that Israel continues to bombard Gaza from the air and with drones, and has killed nearly 150 people, mostly innocent civilians and many women and children, since Trump announced that he had demanded Israel stop its bombardment of Gaza on Oct. 3.
Sources report that he had chosen the word "bombardment" precisely, because he had already received assurances from IDF and its chief, Lt. General Eyal Zamir, an outspoken advocate of a peace deal in Gaza, that the IDF would halt its drive to Gaza City and standoff, and that its commanders were told to only authorize the use of force in defense. However, the Israeli Air Force is headed by people who are close to Bibi, so what Trump was saying was, "Bibi cut the shit out. No more air attacks," sources report.
That this has not happened, sources report, has prompted Trump to make "the appropriate" call into Israel. "Trump is fully aware that Bibi does not like this deal, and that he is being forced by Trump to swallow it," said the source. "Bibi is on a short leash here, especially after Trump praised the Israelis in a post yesterday for halting military operations in Gaza."
Trump’s Pressure and Regional Diplomacy
The President implied as much in an interview yesterday with Israel's TV channel 12, which is pro-Bibi in general. He reported that after he had, to Netanyahu's surprise, accepted the Hamas offer Oct. 3, and there was no immediate response from Bibi, he decided to call him. He told channel 12 that Netanyahu had no choice but to follow his lead and accept the deal in progress.
“Netanyahu had reservations, but I told him that this is his opportunity for victory,” Trump told reporter Barak Ravid in a phone call Oct. 4. “He accepted it. There is no other choice, with me you have to be okay.”
“Bibi went too far in Gaza and Israel lost a lot of support in the world,” Trump added. “Now I will bring back all that support.”
This morning, Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned Israel against continuing its military operations in Gaza, stating that Trump had ordered they halt and they had better listen to the President. Rubio, doing the rounds of Sunday morning TV interview shows, said on ABC's This Week, "But ultimately, you cannot have an exchange and if there's active combat ongoing, you just can't do it. I mean, for the safety of the hostages and for the Red Cross or whoever it is that's going to go in there and be a part of this exchange. You have to set the conditions. The Israelis have said that they would only deal with imminent threats..."
Turkey and Qatar’s Role in Securing Hamas Agreement
There are some new players in this round of talks, most notably Turkey. The Turks and their President Tayyip Erdogan, sources report, played a critical role in getting Hamas to accept the Trump plan. Hamas was told that if they rejected the plan, Turkey and the rest of the Muslim world would hold them personally responsible for the slaughter that ensues. They would be the Butcher of Gaza's accomplices, Hamas was told, and they would be treated accordingly: You can't fight for the freedom of dead people that you are dooming to be murdered.
In an interview with Axios yesterday, Trump repeated the same points he had made about his discussion with Bibi, but added praise for the role of Turkey in securing the deal. Erdoğan was “very helpful” in pressing Hamas to agree to release hostages.
“Erdoğan helped a lot. He is a tough guy, but he is a friend of mine and he was great,” Trump said.
But sources say that it was Qatar, in close coordination with Steve Witkoff, who was most crucial in bringing about Hamas agreement. A source close to the White House reported that the Qataris had changed Hamas thinking about the hostages. Hamas leaders had long viewed the hostages as their key bargaining chip and something they could use to bring about a deal more favorable to them. The Qatari mediators told Hamas that the opposite was now true. The hostages were the only thing really that gave Israel and Bibi the justification for continuing the war. The situation had flipped—if you release the hostages, then you will bring the war to an end. Netanyahu cannot justify continuing it, especially if you agree to cede authority over Gaza.
"And that is precisely what the Trump plan offers you," said a White House source on how Qatar and its Prime Minister al Thani reasoned with Hamas. "It offers you a deal guaranteed by the only man who can bring the hammer to Netanyahu, Donald Trump, whom Bibi needs, that trades the hostages and your control over Gaza for peace. They now accept this idea. Almost a miracle."
Public Sentiment and the Road Ahead
The sage analyst Amos Harel wrote in Haaretz yesterday, "Ironically, there are now similarities in the circumstances of both Israel and Hamas. Public opinion among Israelis and among Palestinians in Gaza appears to have widespread support for a deal that would end the bloodshed, at least temporarily. But both in Israel and Gaza, leadership is wary of a deal that could hurt domestic standing and would require it to be accountable for its actions. And it's here that a force of nature called Donald Trump comes into action. After the events of the last week, it's quite clear that the president wants to end the war – details be damned."
There is a long way to go before Trump's vision for peace in Gaza and the region is realized. It will require a broader development initiative than a mere development of Gaza. But that is necessary to make a Palestinian state economically viable, which it is not today—something that appears to be lost on even its most vocal advocates. But, with the talks beginning tomorrow outside Cairo, there is now more than just hope for success, as Trump stated in a post on Truth Social last night announcing the IDF first phase withdrawal line: "After negotiations, Israel has agreed to the initial withdrawal line, which we have shown to, and shared with, Hamas. When Hamas confirms, the Ceasefire will be IMMEDIATELY effective, the Hostages and Prisoner Exchange will begin, and we will create the conditions for the next phase of withdrawal, which will bring us close to the end of this 3,000 YEAR CATASTROPHE. Thank you for your attention to this matter and, STAY TUNED!"