As hostage negotiations resumed in Doha this week, U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff informed Arab mediators that Washington will not pressure Israel to end its war in Gaza, despite international calls for a ceasefire. Two Arab officials told The Times of Israel that hopes had been high for stronger U.S. intervention following Hamas’s release of American-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has agreed only to a temporary 45-day truce, beginning with the release of around 10 hostages, but remains unwilling to commit upfront to ending the war. Hamas has rejected this, demanding a firm commitment to a permanent ceasefire before releasing any more captives. The group also threatened to withdraw from talks if Israel’s blockade on Gaza aid continues.
Witkoff has proposed a compromise: a smaller hostage release in exchange for a weeks-long truce, with U.S. guarantees that Israel will enter serious talks about ending the war. Yet both sides remain entrenched.
Israel has warned of a full-scale reoccupation of Gaza if Hamas doesn’t accept its terms by the end of Trump’s regional visit Friday. Arab mediators are urging Israel to delay such an operation, especially as regional leaders prepare for a summit in Baghdad focused on Gaza.
Meanwhile, Hamas has offered to relinquish control of Gaza in a future deal involving Arab nations and the Palestinian Authority, but Netanyahu refuses to involve the PA. Without a political path forward for Palestinians, Arab officials say disarmament demands on Hamas are unlikely to succeed.
Though the U.S. supports a diplomatic resolution, Witkoff reiterated that Israel is a sovereign state and the U.S. cannot dictate its actions. Internal Israeli divisions remain stark, with polls showing public support for a full hostage deal even as Netanyahu resists.
