CAIRO – 12 October 2025: The United States (US) President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff praised Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and the leaders of Qatar and Turkey for mediating the current ceasefire in Gaza.
Witkoff made the remarks as he delivered a speech Saturday evening at the Hostages Square in central Tel Aviv, alongside Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner and his wife, Ivanka Trump.
Witkoff praised the mediation that led to the ceasefire and the release of captives, stressing that Trump has proven that peace in the Middle East is not impossible.
Gaza has enjoyed almost three days of peace since a ceasefire took effect Friday at noon, bringing an end to a devastating two-year war that killed more than 67,000 Palestinians.
The ceasefire was agreed by Hamas and Israel during indirect talks in the Egyptian Red Sea resort city of Sharm El-Sheikh last week, mediated by Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, in the presence of US envoys Witkoff and Kushner.
The agreement represents the first phase of a broader peace plan proposed by Trump. This current phase includes a ceasefire, a prisoner-swap arrangement, and a surge in humanitarian aid arriving in the famine-stricken enclave.
Under the terms of the agreement, Hamas is expected to release all 48 captives they still hold over the next three days, about 20 of whom are believed to be alive.
Israel and Hamas will later discuss subsequent phases of Trump’s plan, which address several contentious issues, including Hamas disarmament, post-war governance in Gaza, and security guarantees to prevent a resumption of hostilities.
To support the ceasefire, Egypt is set to host a summit of world leaders this week. Trump is expected to visit Egypt on Monday and attend the gathering, according to four sources familiar with the matter who spoke to Axios.
Meanwhile, Egypt is preparing to soon host an international conference on Gaza’s reconstruction and early recovery, aimed at rebuilding homes and infrastructure while ensuring that Palestinians remain on their land.
President Sisi reaffirmed Egypt’s commitment to hosting the conference during a phone call with his Cypriot counterpart, Nikos Christodoulides, on Saturday.
Sun, Oct. 12, 2025
