Trump’s Middle East envoy says he’s heading to Qatar as hostage deal nearing

Incoming US Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff says he will be traveling to Doha later this week in order to advance the ongoing hostage negotiations. He says that a deal is on the verge of completion and that US President-elect Donald Trump expects it to be finalized before his January 20 inauguration, or “all hell will break loose” in the region.

“We’re making a lot of progress, and I don’t want to say too much because I think they’re doing a really good job back in Doha. I’m leaving tomorrow to go back to Doha, but I think that we’ve had some really great progress, and I’m really hopeful that by the inaugural, we’ll have some good things to announce on behalf of the president,” Witkoff says, after Trump calls him up to provide an update on the negotiations, during a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida.

“We’re working in tandem in a really good way, but it’s the president, his reputation, the things that he has said, that are driving this negotiation, and so hopefully it’ll all work out and we’ll save some lives,” Witkoff adds.

Pressed on what has been holding up the talks to date, Witkoff declines to get into specifics. “I believe we’ve been on the verge of [a deal]. I don’t want to discuss what’s delayed it — no point to be negative in any way.

Asked whether the parties are waiting to reach a deal until Trump is in office, Witkoff responds, “No, I think they heard him loud and clear. [This] better get done by the inaugural.”

He says he will leave for Qatar either tonight or tomorrow night.

Delegations from Israel and Hamas have been in Qatar since the weekend.