Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff becomes the first U.S. official to visit Gaza in more than a decade, ahead of a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the second phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire.

U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff visited Gaza on Wednesday, then met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu amid the Gaza ceasefire and a regional diplomatic push.

US special envoy Steve Witkoff met today with the freed hostages and heard their appeals that the USA continue to work to free those still held by Hamas.

Syria’s de facto leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, on Wednesday abolished the country’s constitution and declared himself president during a meeting of armed factions in Damascus.

Steve Witkoff helped negotiate the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal. His visit to Gaza pn Wednesday was the first by a senior U.S. official in more than a decade.

Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, said on Wednesday that he welcomed the potential for “a dialogue” with Hamas and heaped praise on Qatar for helping facilitate the cease-fire deal between Israel and Gaza, despite facing scrutiny for previous ties to the Gulf nation.

This trip comes as negotiations for the second phase of the truce between Israel and Hamas are set to begin, with the US envoy to the Middle East expressing optimism going forward

White House envoy Steve Witkoff told Axios in an interview at the end of his trip to the Middle East that rebuilding Gaza could take between 10 and 15 years. Why it matters: The Trump administration wants to see the ceasefire continue and Gaza stabilized so it can move forward with its ambitious plans for the Middle East,

Steve Witkoff visited the enclave to oversee the implementation of a fragile cease-fire between Israel and Hamas.

U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff visited Gaza on Wednesday before meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as efforts to solidify a ceasefire and advance regional diplomacy continue. His visit,

Israel and Hamas are set to carry out their third exchange of hostages and prisoners on Thursday as part of a ceasefire agreement that has halted fighting in the Gaza Strip. Hamas is due to release three Israelis and five Thai citizens. Israel is releasing 110 Palestinian prisoners.