WASHINGTON — Amid new developments, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Trump’s son-in-law, took a daring step by personally engaging with Hamas representatives during last week’s cease-fire discussions, contributing significantly to the groundbreaking peace agreement that marked the end of the conflict in Gaza, as reported by The Post.
The challenge of securing the release of the last remaining Israeli hostages was daunting, with many skeptics doubting its feasibility — a sentiment that Witkoff himself expressed in a post to X on Monday, coinciding with the hostages’ release.
“I questioned whether we would ever reach this milestone. It brings immense relief to know that numerous families will at last have their loved ones back,” he remarked. “Today, twenty families are relieved from the unendurable agony of uncertainty regarding their loved ones’ fates.”
Following their arrival in Egypt last Wednesday, Witkoff and Kushner played a pivotal role in overcoming the last obstacles that prevented Hamas from endorsing the US-mediated peace agreement, which ultimately concluded the deadly confrontation and enabled the return of the remaining hostages abducted during Hamas’ savage attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023.
“They believed it was essential to facilitate a meeting among all involved parties — for them to participate in the final stages and finalize the agreement,” a source familiar with the negotiations told The Post, highlighting that the exchange was “a long time coming.”
Additionally, their expertise in negotiating with Qatar played a critical part, with Qatar alongside the US, Turkey, and Egypt in fostering the talks.
“[Kushner and Witkoff] communicated effectively with the Qatari Prime Minister and his negotiation team to help connect both sides,” the source stated, mentioning that the Qataris “hold a great deal of trust in those two.”
Axios was the first to disclose the meeting between the envoys and Hamas.
Kushner had previously achieved noteworthy successes in fostering peace in the Middle East during Trump’s inaugural term, culminating in the historic Abraham Accords that normalized Israel’s relationships with various Arab nations, including Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.
The new Trump administration aims to broaden the Abraham Accords to encompass additional countries such as Syria, Lebanon, and Saudi Arabia, sources indicated to The Post.
Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Sherren Haskel also acknowledged the duo’s effective engagement with Qatar as a crucial element in achieving successful negotiations, affirming this in an interview with The Post on Thursday.
“The pressure on Hamas and the agreement emerges from the influence of Qatar and Turkey on Hamas,” she noted. “Consider that the Hamas leadership enjoys a luxurious lifestyle in plush hotels with significant financial resources in Qatar and Turkey.
“Qatar and Turkey could easily exert pressure on Hamas, and the strong rapport that President Trump [and his administration] maintains with these nations and the continued dialogue have largely contributed to the conditions that pressured Hamas.”
Witkoff and Kushner will continue to be involved as subsequent stages of the cease-fire plan are implemented.
“Even amidst this time of relief and joy, I feel for those whose loved ones did not return alive,” the special envoy expressed. “Retrieving their remains is imperative; it reflects dignity and honors their memory eternally.”
“At this moment, I cannot help but think of my son Andrew,” he shared, referring to his son who tragically passed away from an opioid overdose in 2011. “I am immensely thankful for President Trump’s unwavering spirit. This day would not have been possible without him.”
